Military.com reported last week that dentists in several states are warning reimbursement rate decreases in the new Tricare dental contract will force providers to stop participating TRICARE. Dentists will then pass on higher out-of-pocket costs to active duty, Guard and Reserve dependents. Active duty military and activated Guard & Reservists will still get their dental work done by military dentists.
The $2.9 billion Tricare Dental Plan (TDP) contract for the families of active-duty, Guard and reserve troops is set to move from MetLife to United Concordia on May 1. There are roughly 1.8 million dependent beneficiaries enrolled in the program. Military retirees will not be impacted by the new contract.
Although the change comes with several expansions to care for users, including an increased yearly cost cap and lower premiums, it also includes a decrease to the in-network rates paid to dentists for their services.
That decrease, dentists told Military.com, in many cases will leave providers paying more to administer services than they will be reimbursed. The change, they said, will force many of them out of network and, in turn, increase the amount each Tricare user must pay out of pocket if they want to remain with their current provider.
United Concordia reimbursement rates are based on region. Company officials declined to provide rate examples to Military.com, saying they are proprietary information.
For more information, go to: http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/03/30/dentists-warn-new-tricare-rates-will-cause-drop-in-providers.html