“Other Health Insurance!” DGMC enforces DoD policy Published July 30, 2008 By Master Sgt. Billy Hess 60th Medical Support Squadron TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Caif. -- The Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1986 or COBRA established the Third Party Collections program as part of a health insurance law passed by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Ronald Reagan that year. Under this program, military medical treatment facilities are mandated to bill health insurance carriers for the cost of medical care furnished to retirees and family members who are covered by other health insurance. The David Grant USAF Medical Center here at Travis must comply with this law and needs your help to make the program successful. DGMC is required to determine if the government's cost of your care can be recovered from other companies providing group and individual health insurance," said Lt. Col. Robert Harris, 60th Medical Support Squadron's Resource Management Flight commander. "If you are covered by a health insurance policy or have a Medicare supplement, the hospital staff needs your insurance information." According to Colonel Harris, the obligation to pay medical care costs applies only to the insurance carrier. "With COBRA and the Third Party Collections program, DGMC is entitled to the same benefits for its health care services that any other health care provider would receive. Your insurance company will pay benefits directly to DGMC and you will not be billed for any uncollected charges," Colonel Harris explained. "Monies collected under this program are returned to DGMC to fund personnel contracts, medical equipment and information systems," explained Tech. Sgt. Eden Macinnes, NCOIC of the 60th MDSS Resource Management office. "The ultimate goal is to provide enhanced health care services for you - the patient." "In most cases, DGMC is no different than other health care providers who need insurance information," Sergeant Macinnes said. "To collect benefits from your health insurance, the hospital must have the information that appears on your health insurance identification card." "Please have the card with you when you visit any DGMC clinic," added Colonel Harris. "If you are a retiree or a family member, you will be asked to fill out a DD Form 2569 Record of Other Health Insurance, regardless of whether you have other health insurance. The DD Form 2569 will be maintained in your medical record or on file in the records section and updated annually or when there are changes to your insurance information." Beneficiaries will also be asked to fill out a Yellow OHI Card -- which should be presented at every hospital patient care front desk with your identification card at the time of your visit to the facility. According to Colonel Harris, presenting the Yellow OHI Card will alert to the clinic staff that your medical record has a current DD Form 2569. "The collection of OHI is in effect DoD-wide," said Colonel Harris. "We appreciate your assistance in helping DGMC with the program and maintaining a healthcare environment we can all be proud now and in the future." For further assistance, stop by the Third Party Collections office, located on the north side of DGMC on the second floor in Room 2A620, or call 423-7568, 423-5059 or 423-7466. Common OHI Questions: Q: Health insurance is one of my service benefits - why does David Grant USAF Medical Center have to bill my insurance company? A: Quality health care is very expensive and costs are rising at an alarming rate. Your health care is paid for by your federal tax dollars. The law requires DGMC to recover these costs if they are covered by insurance. Q: What effect will this have on my health insurance? A: Health insurance is intended to cover your needs for medical services listed in your policy and the premiums you pay are for those services. Since you are using that policy to allow DGMC to recover the costs of providing you with health care, the insurance is being used exactly as it is intended. Your premiums will not increase. Q: If the full cost of care is not recovered, will I get a bill from DGMC or my insurance company? A: No. Federal tax dollars will cover any balance not covered by your insurance carrier. You will not be billed for any costs that we cannot recover from you insurance carrier. You will receive an Explanation of Benefits from your local insurance carrier. Q: When I receive care from DGMC will I need to pay my policy deductible? A: No. DGMC will absorb the deductible. This may even satisfy your policy deductible if you later seek private medical care. Q: Where does the money go? A: Payments from your insurance company for your health care is collected and used to improve the quality of health care at DGMC through enhancements such as contract services for doctors and nurses and to purchase equipment and information systems. Q: What is the Yellow Card? A: It serves as a verification that you have filled out the DD Form 2569, Third Party Collections Form in the last 365 days. Q: How often do I have to fill out the form? A: Annually or when changes are made to your insurance information.