The Doctor Is In

Years of wartime deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken a toll on many service men and women. Wounded warriors and their families sacrifice greatly for our country and deserve the highest quality health care. The Military Health System and TRICARE are committed to providing seamless health care coverage through each stage of treatment, recovery and rehabilitation.

Many benefits are available to wounded warriors injured while serving on active duty. These cover everything from diagnosis to rehabilitation and assistive technology devices, to institutional care and respite care in some cases. The National Resource Directory for wounded warriors, www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov, offers a comprehensive list of programs and benefits available to service men and women injured in the line of duty. This includes health materials, employment resources, caregiver support and compensation information.

If you are a wounded warrior, you may receive care from military treatment facilities and before moving to a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health facility. Benefit counselors and liaisons at military hospitals help arrange your care at VA facilities, explain other VA services and facilitate discharge planning. If you are separating from active duty, you and your family may be eligible for benefits under the Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) in addition to what the VA provides. TAMP gives you and your family 180 days of health care after you separate from active duty.

To see if you are eligible for TAMP, go to www.tricare.mil/TAMP. To apply for VA benefits, please visit www.va.gov/healtheligibility/application and fill out the electronic application, or call the VA’s Health Benefits Service Center toll-free at 1-877-222-8387 for more information.

Many specialized programs exist to help wounded warriors and their families heal and return to duty or transition to civilian lives. They vary according to health care need and service branch. The Fisher House Foundation, www.fisherhouse.org, provides free or low-cost housing to families who want to be close to loved ones receiving treatment. The VA Vet Center program, www.vetcenter.va.gov, offers local, community-based readjustment counseling for veterans and their families. Another resource you may not think of is the Social Security Administration, which has information about disability benefits for wounded warriors at www.ssa.gov/woundedwarriors.

At TRICARE, our mission is to provide the best possible care and services to our wounded warriors who have sacrificed so much. You can find information about many programs designed to help you make the transition back to civilian life at www.tricare.mil/InjuredonAD.