ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE ROUTINE R 171306Z NOV 00 ZYB MIN PSN 881018J26 FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// TO NAVADMIN UNCLAS //NO1750// NAVADMIN 293/00 MSGID/GENADMIN/N1// SUBJ/TRANSITION TO THE NEW TRICARE DENTAL PROGRAM (TDP)// RMKS/1. THE CURRENT TRICARE ACTIVE DUTY FAMILY MEMBER DENTAL PLAN (TFMDP) ENROLLMENT ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURES WITHIN NAVY PERSONNEL SYSTEM ARE CHANGING. THE DENTAL ENROLLMENT FUNCTION HAS BEEN ADMINISTERED BY PERSONNEL OFFICES SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE ORIGINAL DEPENDENT DENTAL PLAN (DDP) IN AUGUST 1987. CURRENTLY, PERSONNEL SERVICES OFFICES ACCEPT AND PROCESS DD FORMS 2494 AND 2494-1 DENTAL ENROLLMENT APPLICATIONS, LOCALLY CORRECT ENROLLMENT ERRORS AND UPDATE DENTAL PREMIUM TRANSACTIONS THROUGH DFAS. 2. THE TFMDP WILL TERMINATE EFFECTIVE 31 JAN 01. ON 1 FEB 01, A NEW DENTAL PROGRAM, TRICARE DENTAL PROGRAM (TDP) WILL COMMENCE. UNITED CONCORDIA COMPANIES, INC. (UCCI) WILL BE THE NEW DENTAL CONTRACT ADMINISTRATOR. CURRENTLY ENROLLED BENEFICIARIES UNDER THE TFMDPP PLAN WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED IN THE NEW TDP. 3. THE NEW TDP ADMINISTRATION WILL IMPACT ALL ACTIVE AND RESERVE PERSONNEL OFFICES, AS WELL AS FUTURE BENEFICIARY POPULATIONS. THEREFORE, TRANSITION PROCEDURES MUST BE ESTABLISHED PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW TDP. TO ASSIST IN A SMOOTH TRANSITION, THE FOLLOWING TIMELINES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED: A. PERSONNEL OFFICES, FIELD FINANCE OFFICES AND DFAS WILL STOP ACCEPTING DD FORMS 2494 AND 2494-1 FOR NEW TFMDP ENROLLMENTS AS OF CLOSE OF BUSINESS, 17 NOV 00. B. INDIVIDUALS REQUESTING ENROLLMENT IN TFMDP PLAN AFTER 17 NOV 00 SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO ENROLL IN THE NEW TDP. IT SHOULD BE STRESSED TO THE INDIVIDUAL THAT ALTHOUGH COVERAGE UNDER THE NEW DENTAL PROGRAM IS NOT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1 FEB 01, THERE IS CURRENTLY A 30-60 DAY DELAY IN REPORTING A NEW ENROLLMENT TO THE TFMDP DENTAL CONTRACTOR. UNDER THE NEW TDP THERE IS A 12-MONTH VICE 24-MONTH MINIMUM ENROLLMENT PERIOD AND REDUCED PREMIUM DEDUCTIONS. FAMILY MEMBERS NOT ENROLLED IN THE TFMDP WHO NEED DENTAL SERVICES PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE NEW TDP PROGRAM MAY CONTACT THEIR SERVICES' MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITY (MTF) HEALTH BENEFIT ADVISOR OR DENTAL TREATMENT FACILITY (DTF) FOR ASSISTANCE. C. PERSONNEL AND FIELD FINANCE OFFICES WILL STOP PROCESSING CHANGES TO EXISTING TFMDP ENROLLMENTS, DISENROLLMENTS, OR PREMIUM CODES EFFECTIVE CLOSE OF BUSINESS 8 DEC 00. ANY TFMDP NEW ENROLLMENTS OR REQUIRED CHANGES TO EXISTING TFMDP ENROLLMENTS AFTER 8 DEC 00 MUST BE REFERRED TO THE NAVY TFMDP PROGRAM COORDINATOR AT NAVPERSCOM FOR APPROVAL. THE COORDINATOR CAN BE CONTACTED BY TELEPHONE AT (901) 874-3365/DSN 882. IF APPROVED, THESE CASES WILL REQUIRE MANUAL PROCESSING AND WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY 30-60 DAYS TO COMPLETE. D. ALL MATERIALS RELATING TO THE TFMDP SHOULD BE DISCARDED AS OF 31 JAN 01. UCCI WILL START MAILING OUT TDP MATERIALS IN NOV (TO INCLUDE ENROLLMENT FORMS) TO PERSONNEL CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN TFMDP, ALL PERSONNEL OFFICES, HEALTH BENEFITS ADVISORS AND DENTAL CLINICS. THESE MATERIALS SHOULD BE MADE ACCESSIBLE TO SAILORS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. APPLICATION FORMS FOR TDP SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR CHANGES TO OR ENROLLMENT IN TFMDP. 4. INDIVIDUALS WITH TFMDP ENROLLMENT PROBLEMS OR ERRORS IN THEIR PREMIUM STATUS WERE FORWARDED LETTERS VIA THEIR COMMAND ON 25 OCT 00. EVERY EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE TO RESOLVE THESE ERRORS BY 8 DEC 00 BEFORE THE AUTOMATED PROCESSING ENDS. DENTAL CASES REQUIRING RETROACTIVE CORRECTIONS AS A RESULT OF SYSTEM DATABASE ERRORS, OR INCORRECT ENROLLMENT/COVERAGE DATES RESULTING IN UNPAID DENTAL CLAIMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE PROCESSED BY THE NAVY TFMDP PROGRAM COORDINATOR UNTIL 31 JAN 01. 5. AFTER 1 FEB 01, ALL ACTIONS, SUCH AS ENROLLMENT, CHANGE OF ELECTION COVERAGE, TERMINATION OF ENROLLMENT, PAYROLL AUTHORIZATION, BENEFIT VERIFICATION, CLAIMS, AND APPEALS, WILL BE HANDLED THROUGH THE DENTAL CONTRACTOR VICE THE SERVICING PERSONNEL OFFICE. QUESTIONS ON ENROLLMENT AND BILLING UNDER TDP MAY BE DIRECTED TO UCCI AT 1-888-622-6656 OR CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-866-8499. UCCI WILL START ACCEPTING ENROLLMENT FORMS FOR THE TDP PROGRAM 18 NOV 00, HOWEVER, COVERAGE WILL NOT TAKE EFFECT UNTIL 1 FEB 01. 6. SPONSORS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REVIEW THEIR END OF MONTH LEAVE AND EARNINGS STATEMENTS TO ENSURE DENTAL PREMIUM PAYMENTS CORRECTLY REFLECT TYPE OF DENTAL COVERAGE THEY REQUIRE. SPONSORS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO REVIEW ALL FAMILY MEMBERS' DEERS/RAPIDS INFORMATION TO ENSURE IT REFLECTS CURRENT AND CORRECT BENEFITS INFORMATION WITH REGARD TO ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAL AND DENTAL COVERAGE. THE FAMILY MEMBERS' DENTAL BENEFITS ARE BASED UPON THEIR ID CARD ELIGIBILITY AND ENROLLMENT IN DEERS. 7. DETAILED INFORMATION ON THE EXPANDED BENEFITS OF TDP CAN BE REVIEWED AT WWW.UCCI.COM OR BY PHONE AT 1-800-866-8499. 8. FOR QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT MR. HUDNALL AT (901) 874-3365/DSN 882 OR MR. WEAVER AT (901) 874-4653/DSN 882. 9. RELEASED BY VADM NORB RYAN, JR., N1.// BT