Editor’s Note: This article is part of MOAA’s 2022-23 TRICARE Guide, brought to you by MOAA Insurance Plans, administered by Association Member Benefits Advisors (AMBA). A version of the guide appeared in the November 2022 issue of Military Officer magazine; an hourlong recorded webinar on this topic is available at this link to MOAA Premium and Life members.

If you are looking to change your health care plan and/or dental and vision providers, the time to do it is open season for TRICARE and FEDVIP (Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Program). Check out the 2023 TRICARE rates at this link.

[NOV. 17 TRICARE WEBINAR: TRICARE Open Season and Your Options (Registration Required)]

The 2023 open season runs from Nov. 14 to Dec. 12. Take time to evaluate your options to ensure you are maximizing your benefits.

Outside of open season, you can only change your plan or providers if you have a qualifying life event (QLE).

[RELATED: TRICARE QLEs | FEDVIP QLEs]

Any changes you make will take effect on Jan. 1, 2023. If you take no action, you will remain under your current plan(s) for 2023.

The TRICARE cost comparison tool can be found at www.tricare.mil/Costs and the FEDVIP tool at www.benefeds.com/tools/search-plans.

Questions for you to consider: 

• Are you satisfied with the medical coverage you are receiving at the base hospital or clinic under TRICARE Prime?
• Do you hate waiting weeks or months for a referral to a specialist?
• Would the flexibility of TRICARE Select be more suitable for you and your family?
• Are you relatively healthy and do not mind the additional cost of TRICARE Select should you need it?

TRICARE Prime typically will cost less than Select, and costs for both programs will increase by no more than the 2023 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). So price may not be the only factor for which plan works best for you.

For FEDVIP, the federal government negotiates contracts with dental and vision providers, but providers have relatively free range to set the next year’s prices. FEDVIP subscribers may want to review their plan’s proposed increase or decrease so the bill next year isn’t a surprise.