JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
Current Beneficiary Vital -
Money earned but not paid in the final month of a retiree's life goes to whoever is listed as the Arrears Of Pay (AOP) beneficiary. DFAS will contact this person to assist in closing out the retiree's account. Often times, retirees fail to update this designation, creating unnecessary family difficulties. The current AOP beneficiary is listed on the back page of the Retiree Account Statement. Retirees can choose anyone to be their AOP beneficiary and DFAS will respond accordingly. If retirees do not designate someone, payment of any money that remains in their retirement account can be greatly delayed. It may take several months for DFAS to identify who is legally entitled to the final payment. Changes in designation must be provided on a DD Form 2894, available at www.dfas.mil/dfas/retiredmilitary. Complete instructions are included. Those without computers, call 1-800-321-1080 for assistance.
Crisis Line Available -
The Veterans Crisis Line, a toll-free, confidential resource, connects veterans in crisis and their families and friends with Veterans Affairs caregivers. Call 1-800-273-8255 and "press 1" or chat online at www.VeteransCrisisLine.net to receive free, confidential support 24/7. The Veterans Crisis Line staff is specially trained and experienced in helping veterans of all ages and circumstances. Since its launch in 2007, the Veterans Crisis Line has answered more than 400,000 calls and is credited with more than 14,000 life-saving rescues. Since 2009, the online chat service has helped some 4,000 people.
Tricare Providers Growing -
The Department of Defense (DOD) reports a growing number of medical professionals are signing up to accept Tricare, the health care plan for members of the uniformed services, retirees and their families. For 9.6 million beneficiaries worldwide, Tricare relies heavily on civilian providers to supplement the health care provided by military treatment facilities. More than 325,000 providers across the United States are in the Tricare network, with some 1 million providers accepting beneficiaries. A DOD survey shows that in Fiscal Year 2007, almost 93 percent of responding physicians in 53 areas were aware of Tricare Standard. Almost 85 percent of those physicians accepted new Tricare Standard patients. More than 2 million beneficiaries use Tricare Standard, the fee-for-service option that provides the most flexibility for patients to see any Tricare authorized provider. Tricare is also an industry leader in claims payment timeliness. 99 percent of clean claims are processed within 30 days. 90 percent of claims are processed within 15 days.
The Retiree Activities Office is open from 10 a.m.- 3p.m. Monday-Friday. Visit our office at Colorado and D Street, call us at 301-981-2726, or email us at rao@andrews.af.mil. Calling the office prior to visiting is recommended to ensure someone is on duty. The RAO also has a website at www.andrews.af.mil, click on "Retirees" on the right side of the page. There you will find a wealth of information that might be of interest to you. Copies of "Retiree Activities Corner" articles are online as well. Go to the retirees web page and find information under the heading "Newspaper Column."