US Army Soldier For Life

Tip: Changing Bank Accounts for Your Retired Pay? Start Early!

If you need to change the bank account for your direct deposit, or change an allotment, make sure you allow a window of time for the change to be processed before payday. Making those changes isn’t instant, even in myPay. Although, making changes in myPay is much quicker than mailing or faxing it in. When you use myPay to make a bank account or allotment change, myPay will provide an effective date, so you’ll know whether the change will be made for the next payday or the payday...

How to Use TRICARE and Other Health Insurance at the Pharmacy

by TRICARE Communications FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Do you have other pharmacy coverage in addition to the TRICARE Pharmacy Program? Maybe you have coverage through your employer or a private plan that you’ve purchased. TRICARE calls this other health insurance (OHI). Some OHI includes a prescription drug benefit that can be used with TRICARE. Learning more about OHI and TRICARE pharmacy benefits can save you time and money. “If your OHI includes...

News from Our Partners: Recently Retired from Service? Take Advantage of Your FEDVIP Enrollment Period

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proud to welcome retiring members of the uniformed services to the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP). Sponsored by OPM, FEDVIP is a voluntary, enrollee-pay-all dental and vision insurance program. It replaced the former TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP). In general, retired uniformed service members, their families, and survivors are eligible for FEDVIP dental coverage and, if enrolled in a TRICARE health plan...

A new, easier-to-remember Veterans Crisis Line number

If you’re a Veteran having thoughts of suicide or concerned about one, reach 24/7 crisis support through the new Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) number: Dial 988, then Press 1. This shorter, three-digit number provides an easier-to-remember way to access the VCL. We’re working to make sure all Veterans and their supporters know about the new number. Below are answers to some questions you might have about this change. Why did the VCL get a new numbe...

Webinars and Virtual Community Groups Help You Manage Your Health (East Region)

This article contains information specific to beneficiaries living in the East Region. Check the map to find your region. Need help managing your health and wellness? Humana Military offers webinars and community groups for beneficiaries. These webinars and community groups offer information on your health. They also provide guidance to help improve your quality of life. Patients and caregivers can both join. Webinars and community groups are held monthly. These on...

Live Whole Health #123: Managing stress and headaches

We all experience stress, which can lead to headaches and other negative outcomes. I think of stress as the result of any demand on our resources beyond what we usually give. Stress can come from pain, financial struggles, a family argument or loss of a loved one. Stress can also be a part of life experiences, such as getting married, having a baby or going to a family reunion. These situations require us to step up and do more than we are accustomed to doing. We can practice...

The 2023 Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) Elimination of the Optional Annuity for Dependent Children and Reversion of SBP Annuity to Surviving Spouses

The DoD Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) provides an ongoing monthly annuity payment to military spouses or dependent children when a military member dies while on active duty, on inactive duty in the line of duty, or after retirement (if the military retiree chooses to purchase coverage). When a service member dies on active or inactive duty in the line of duty, the surviving spouse can request to have the SBP annuity paid directly to an eligible dependent child or children instead of to the s...

The SBP-DIC Offset Phased Elimination: What Surviving Spouses Need to Know About Phase Two and Phase Three

On January 1, 2022, Phase Two of the SBP-DIC Offset Phased Elimination began. To help surviving spouses who are entitled to both SBP and DIC in 2022 understand the effect of this change, DFAS mailed letters in early December with individual estimates of 2022 SBP payments. As a reminder, the SBP-DIC Offset Phased Elimination only affects SBP payments issued by DFAS. The changes do NOT affect Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payments from the VA. Eligible surviving spouses wil...

Survivor Benefits: Four Tips Widows Need to Know

Months before the first Social Security check was issued in 1940, lawmakers made changes to the planned benefits. Instead of the retired worker’s benefit ending when he died, his widow could collect a survivor benefit for her lifetime. Since then, the eligibility rules for survivors have improved. The age requirements are lower, surviving ex-spouses are eligible, including surviving spouses and partners of same-sex relationships. One thing that hasn’t changed is that...

Are You Ready to Join the Fight? Authentication Apps are Your New Best Weapon

A growing number of myPay customers have switched to authentication apps to get the one-time PINs (OTP) necessary in logging into their myPay account. This method avoids any delays in receiving OTPs via text or email messages. This is particularly helpful for users located overseas. Of course, in this time of rising concerns over security of personal, financial and health information having tools that increase that security is of greater value. myPay, which provides pay management and...

Your Retired Pay Account Needs a Regular Checkup

It’s important for retirees to regularly review and update their retired pay account. Keeping your account current will ensure that DFAS can get in touch with you if there is information you need to know about your retired pay and help make sure that outdated information doesn’t cause difficulties for you or your loved ones down the road. Use this handy checklist to do a retired pay checkup at least once a year. A good time to do it is just after you finish your tax prepara...

Army & Air Force Exchange Service Leverages Authentication Capabilities to Streamline Online Access to DoD MWR Libraries

by Conner Hammett DALLAS – The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is helping Department of Defense Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Libraries make it easier for service members and their families to access online library services and resources. Using AAFES’ extensive online authentication system, authorized library patrons can use their Common Access Cards (CAC) to create an account at https://www.dodmwrlibraries.org/. The...

Get the Latest COVID-19 Info on Boosters and Treatment

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Are you continuing to protect yourself against COVID-19? Scientific evidence shows that the COVID-19 vaccines and booster doses are effective in protecting people. They protect people both from infection and especially from severe outcomes of the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now recommending a second COVID-19 booster for people in certain groups, and a first booster for children ages 5 through 11. “A...

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