Will the new health care law extend dependent children benefits under TRICARE?

Answer 1

As you are aware, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law this week by President Obama will require private health insurance companies to allow dependent children up to age 26 to remain on their parent's policy.

TRICARE, the health insurance for military service members, retirees, and the families of both, is under the control of the U.S. Department of Defense and governed by a different section of the United States code, so it will not be affected in any way by the new health reform legislation. Unfortunately for your children, that includes this new expansion of benefits for young people.

Recognizing this gap in benefits, U.S. Representative Martin Heinrich (NM-1) introduced H.R. 4923, the TRICARE Dependent Coverage Extension Act, in the House Armed Services Committee. The bill would increase the maximum age to 26 and provide active duty military, military retirees and their beneficiaries with the same new benefits given to civilians.

"Our military families stand behind our troops and lift them up, often making significant sacrifices like our service members themselves," said Rep. Heinrich. "Allowing parents to provide health coverage to their dependent adult children is just one of the many small things we can do to show our military families how much we appreciate them and honor their service to our country."

Whitney Potter, Congressman Heinrich's Press Secretary, also told us that "the bill still needs to get approved by the House Armed Service Committee and may be part of the bigger National Defense Authorization Act, which may not get passed until the end of the year."