U.S. COAST GUARD
Pay & Personnel Center

June 3, 2020

Direct-Access Password Reset Guidance

During a recent Direct Access (DA) system upgrade, the forgot password security question "What is your mother's maiden name?" was disabled in DA to reduce the possibility of a compromise of personally identifiable information (PII). For users who originally chose this as a security question, the hint question will now default to "What town were you born in?" but the ANSWER has NOT changed from what the user originally established for "What is your mother's maiden name?"

May 8, 2020

A Friendly Reminder: Keep Your DEERS Info Updated

Did you know that not keeping your family's information current in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) could delay their access to health care? Errors can also cause delays with your claims and delivery of your prescription. Now is an important time to check your DEERS records.

April 3, 2020

Retirees/Annuitants/FSPA Payees Change your Federal Income Tax Withholding or Additional Withholding: 

Do not use IRS W-4P (Withholding Certificate for Pension or Annuity Payments). Direct Access is configured to withhold federal income tax based on the information from the IRS W-4. Beginning on April 1, 2020, if you provide your information on a W-4P form, you will be asked to complete a W-4 instead so that the system will be able to recognize your request

March 24, 2020

The Armed Forces Retirement Home Offers Affordable Independent Living for Eligible Veterans!

The Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) – which offers affordable independent living to eligible veterans in its Washington, D.C., and Gulfport, Miss. locations, is now accepting applications for residency in 2020!

Jan. 24, 2020

Don't Forget to Update DEERS

Make sure that your records in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) are up to date with your latest life events.

Dec. 9, 2019

Defense Health Agency (DHA) Monitoring Payment Processing Error in TRICARE East Region

The Defense Health Agency (DHA) and Humana Military are working closely together to quickly assist approximately 75,000 TRICARE beneficiaries affected by a payment processing error that occurred on Thursday Dec. 5. For those affected, health care coverage remains uninterrupted.

Sept. 23, 2019

TRICARE Dental and Medical: Separate Programs, Separate Enrollments

Not sure if you have dental coverage? Did you enroll in a dental plan? Your TRICARE dental and medical benefits are separate benefits. To gain coverage, you need to enroll in a dental plan and health care plan separately.

Sept. 20, 2019

In Case You Missed It | TRICARE West Region e-Updates September 2019

2020 TRICARE Open Season; What to do After Receiving Emergency Care; Rate Update for Premium-Based Plans; Don't Forget to Update the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS); DoD Self-Service Logon for Secure Portal Access; Back-to-School Preventive Health Care; Electronic Health Records Update; Be Prepared for a Natural Disaster; Vitamin D Deficiency; How Healthy Are You?

Aug. 23, 2019

TRICARE: Retiring from Active Duty Brochure (PDF)

A four-page brochure that explains TRICARE coverage options after retiring from active duty. The brochure describes what stays the same, what changes, what actions to take, and what program options are available. It also provides information on dental coverage and the pharmacy benefit. Contact information is also included.

June 14, 2019

TRICARE Extended Care Health Option Helps Families with Special Needs

Do you have a family member with special needs? Do they need health care services beyond those covered by their current TRICARE health plan? The TRICARE Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) may be right for them. ECHO provides supplemental health care coverage for active duty family members with a qualifying mental or physical disability.

June 12, 2019

Moving Away to College May Change Your Child's TRICARE Options

Is your student heading away to college this fall? TRICARE coverage of eligible dependents extends to college students. A change of address, such as moving to a new country, city, region, or ZIP+4 code is a TRICARE Qualifying Life Event (QLE). If this QLE applies to your student, you have 90 days from the date of the address change to change his or her TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select health plan.

May 29, 2019

Your Child Transitioning to Adulthood with TRICARE Young Adult

Did your child graduate from college, but hasn't yet launched a career? Not to worry, TRICARE may still be available to provide health care coverage. A change in family composition, like when your child becomes an adult, is a TRICARE Qualifying Life Event. After your child turns age 21, they're no longer eligible for regular TRICARE.

May 22, 2019

Retired Pay "High-3" Calculator Launched

The Department of Defense has introduced a new "legacy" High-3 Retirement Calculator to help members (Active Duty and Reserve) under the high-3 retirement system to estimate their retired pay. 

May 9, 2019

A Change of Address May Mean New TRICARE Health Options

Are you and your family moving? Moving doesn't change your TRICARE eligibility. But it may change the TRICARE health care options available to you and your family. A change of address, such as moving to a new country, city, region, or ZIP+4 code is a TRICARE Qualifying Life Event.

April 30, 2019

Adding a New Family Member Stateside? Take Action to Get TRICARE Coverage for Your Child

Whether giving birth or adopting, this change in your family composition is a TRICARE Qualifying Life Event (QLE). The QLE allows you to enroll any new eligible family members. Or to make changes to your TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select health plan. You must take action to get TRICARE coverage for your newborn or adopted child. Register your newborn or adopted child in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, as well as choose a TRICARE health plan and enroll your child in one if necessary.

March 22, 2019

American Forces Travel - Leisure Travel Website

Through a partnership with the DoD Services, Coast Guard Morale, Well-Being, and Recreation (MWR) is happy to announce the launch of the first and only military travel booking engine, www.americanforcestravel.com.

March 20, 2019

Get to Know Your TRICARE Prime Plan

TRICARE Prime is similar to a health maintenance organization, or HMO plan. This means you get most of your care from an assigned or selected primary care manager (PCM). This PCM refers you to specialists for care that he or she can't provide and works with your TRICARE regional contractor for referrals and authorizations. TRICARE Prime differs from TRICARE Select, the other TRICARE enrollment health plan.

March 18, 2019

How Does Divorce Affect Your TRICARE Benefit?

Closing the chapter on a marriage can be a confusing time. If you're going through a divorce, you may be wondering about your TRICARE benefits. Divorce, annulment, or dissolution of a marriage is a TRICARE Qualifying Life Event (QLE). This QLE allows you and family members to make changes to your TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select health plan outside of TRICARE Open Season.

March 8, 2019

What is a TRICARE Qualifying Life Event?

Every year during TRICARE Open Season, you can enroll in or change your TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select health plan. But did you know that outside of TRICARE Open Season, you can only enroll in or make changes to your TRICARE Primeor TRICARE Select plan following a Qualifying Life Event (QLE)? A QLE is a certain change in your life, such as marriage, birth of a child, change of address, or retirement from active duty.

March 1, 2019

Everything You Need to Know about Filing Medical Claims

Did you visit your doctor recently? If you visited a TRICARE network provider, in most cases, your provider will file a claim for you after the visit. In some cases, you may have to pay for health care services upfront and file your own claim to get money back. It's important to know when you need to file a claim and how to do so.

Feb. 21, 2019

Getting Married? Know Your TRICARE Health Care Options

You and your family members may experience changes in TRICARE eligibility and coverage after getting married.

Nov. 21, 2018

Permanent Promotion Obligated Service for Voluntary Retirement

​ALCOAST Commandant Change Notice 137/18 announced an error in a recent change to the Military Separations Manual, COMDTINST M1000.4. The two-year obligated service requirement for promotion was inadvertently omitted. This requirement is still in effect: “complete the two-year obligated service requirement incurred for a permanent promotion. (An officer will not be promoted if he or she has an approved voluntary retirement on file).”​

Sept. 24, 2018

Use TRICARE Online Tools to Help You Choose a Health Plan

If you're eligible for TRICARE, you can choose from a variety of plans. This gives you options for where and how you seek medical care. But how do you decide which plan or plans are best for you and your family members? The TRICARE website can help you learn what health plans you may be eligible for and compare plan features and costs.

Sept. 11, 2018

TRICARE and You: Navigating the Secure Patient Portal

The Tricare Online (TOL) Patient Portal is the secure patient portal that provides registered users access to online health care information and services at military hospitals and clinics.

Aug. 29, 2018

Retiring from Active Duty? Take Action, Make an Enrollment Choice

When you retire from active duty, your TRICARE plan options will change. Retiring from active duty is a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). A QLE allows you to enroll in a new TRICARE plan or change your coverage options within 90 days of the live event. As a retiree, you'll need to take action to enroll in a TRICARE plan if you want to continue to receive coverage for civilian care.