One of the issues MOAA has long advocated for is a comprehensive analysis of the health care members of the reserve components and their families receive. In response to these concerns, two provisions were included in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act to do just that. Because MOAA has been an early leader in this effort, we were asked to provide input into DoD’s assessment of these concerns.

The law requires DoD to analyze the continuity of health care coverage for the reserve component by obtaining opinions of current and former members of the Selected Reserve (SELRES) and their leadership. The law also requires an assessment of the transition to the TRICARE program by families of SELRES members called to active duty, with a focus on the challenges these family members might have had arranging health care through the process of going on and off active duty.

To accomplish this comprehensive review, DoD has contracted with an outside entity with extensive analytic capabilities. MOAA weighed in with suggestions regarding survey methodology, current challenges expressed by MOAA members, and how to best enhance beneficiaries’ experience with communication efforts. Both a web-based survey instrument and in-person focus groups will be employed to gather information from reserve component members.

The purpose of the research is to examine the extent to which families of SELRES members called to active duty for more than 30 days experience difficulty transitioning from the health care arrangements relied on when the member is not in an active duty status to the health care benefits offered through the TRICARE program. The results of the survey are intended to be used to improve the transition to TRICARE by families of SELRES members called to active duty, as well as the continuity of health care coverage for this population.

If you are a Select Reservist, or a family member of one, we would love to hear your feedback to the following questions:

What challenges or disruptions in care or coverage did you or your dependents experience during periods when you/your sponsoring member went on active duty for more than 30 days and were moved onto TRICARE?

Were there any other challenges transitioning on or off TRICARE coverage during periods in which you/your sponsoring family member was activated?

Please email your comments to legis@moaa.org; we will use your input to inform DoD’s research and their final analysis.