The
education of TRICARE beneficiaries, TRICARE providers, and Military
Health System (MHS) staff and providers shall be accomplished through
a collaborative effort between Defense Health Agency (DHA) Communications,
the Managed Care Support Contractors (MCSCs), and other TRICARE
contractors. This collaboration will ensure information and education
about the TRICARE Program, policies, health care delivery requirements,
and changes and/or addition to benefits are effectively provided.
Educational activities include research and analysis to determine
targeted audience and the provision of educational materials, and
training programs and briefings in accordance with
Section 2. The Government
will furnish all printed educational materials, except for region
specific provider education materials. The contractor and/or other
TRICARE contractors shall be responsible for the individual distribution
of Government-furnished materials.
1.0 Education Plan
The
contractor shall submit an annual education plan to inform and educate
TRICARE beneficiaries, TRICARE and MHS staff, and providers on all
aspects of TRICARE programs. DHA Communications and the TRICARE
Regional Office (TRO) will review the plan, and provide concurrence or
appropriate feedback for recommended changes.
2.0 INTERFACE REQUIREMENTS
2.1 The
contractor shall participate in monthly TRICARE beneficiary and
provider work group meetings, comprised of the TROs marketing representatives,
OCONUS marketing representative and the TRICARE Beneficiary Publications
Office/DHA Communications. As advisors, the contractors shall provide
unique perspectives, ideas, and recommendations regarding the development
and maintenance of TRICARE educational materials to the group. The
goal of the monthly meetings is to present status updates on production,
address issues, and provide new information and propose new ideas
for products and/or initiatives. The contractor shall provide a
primary and alternate representative for attendance and participation
in the monthly meetings, to be held approximately 12 times per contract
year in the Washington, DC area. Meetings may be attended via teleconference, video
telecommunications, or in person, as directed by the Government.
2.2 All
requests for marketing and educational materials shall be submitted
by the contractor via the appropriate TRO for review and consideration.
Approval shall be based on justification that supports a uniform
image and consistency in the provision of TRICARE Program information,
and available funding.
3.0 Required Educational Materials
The
Government will provide to the contractor all beneficiary educational
and enrollment materials which may include printed and electronic
media. Materials developed by the Government and distributed in
support of the TRICARE program will be selected on the basis of
recommendations by contractors, program managers, the Services,
Defense Health Agency (DHA) leadership and others with interests
and concerns about the information being provided to TRICARE beneficiaries
and other stakeholders. DHA Communications and the TROs will review
all recommendations and prioritize products in accordance with funding
availability. DHA Communications will have final approval authority.
The contractor shall be responsible for the distribution of Government-furnished
materials to MHS beneficiaries. The Government will provide all
enrollment materials for distribution by the contractor to MHS beneficiaries.
The enrollment form will be provided electronically.
4.0
Dissemination
Of Information
4.1 The
contractor shall distribute TRICARE information using effective
methods (for example, e-mail, World Wide Web (WWW), telephone, testing,
and smart phone applications, and other social media) that ensure
timely delivery and receipt to all MHS beneficiary households in
the region based on Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System
(DEERS) data. (Note: The Department of Defense (DoD) does not maintain
beneficiary e-mail addresses.) In addition, the contractor shall
do a mailing pertaining to a benefit update, within the stated contract
period, to all eligible beneficiary households. The contractor shall
furnish enrollment information and forms, network provider information,
Health Care Finder (HCF) information, claims forms, claim completion
instructions, a web link to the TRICARE Handbook, DEERS information
and other informational materials upon request to beneficiaries, providers,
and Congressional offices. The contractor shall establish and maintain
effective communications with all beneficiaries (see
Section 3).
Details for
submission of the Education
Plan are
identified by DD Form 1423,
Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL)
, located in
Section J of the applicable contract.
4.2 The contractor shall be responsible
for all provider education, which includes producing and distributing
an annual Provider Handbook, newsletters, and/or bulletins. The
contractor may use any method of distribution that ensures timely
receipt by all providers. Copies of TRICARE educational materials
distributed to providers shall be provided to the DHA Director,
TROs/Program Office, DHA Communications, and Congressional offices.
The Government reserves the right to evaluate the success of the
contractor provider relations effort via scientific surveys and
other data collection efforts with the network providers.
4.3 The contractor shall distribute
a quarterly newsletter to all TRICARE Prime enrollees, including active
duty personnel, dual-eligible beneficiaries enrolled in TRICARE
Prime, Congressional offices, and Beneficiary Counseling and Assistance
Coordinators (BCACs). The contractor shall distribute an annual newsletter
to TRICARE beneficiaries not enrolled in Prime prior to the annual
open enrollment period. Newsletters will generally be no more than
six double-sided pages in length (8½” x 11”). The contractor shall
not modify the content or length of the beneficiary newsletter prior
to distribution. The contractor may use any method of distribution
that ensures timely delivery and receipt to all recipients.
4.4 The TDEFIC contractor shall
maintain a supply of TRICARE For Life (TFL) beneficiary educational materials.
The TDEFIC contractor shall provide a copy of the most recent information
upon request.
5.0 Ordering Education Materials
5.1 The contractor shall provide
one representative for attendance and participation in the work group
meeting to be held in the Washington, DC area. Meetings may be attended
via teleconference, video telecommunications or in person, as directed
by the Government. As stated, for each contract year, the committee
will conduct one extensive meeting to determine the core educational
materials to be developed for the following fiscal year. Contractors
may be required by their TRO/Program Office to participate in this
extensive, possibly multi-day, meeting in Washington, DC area.
5.2 Requests for additionally designed
educational and enrollment materials not included in the initial
request shall be submitted in accordance with
paragraph 2.2. Upon determination
of the core products, the contractors shall submit a request for
copies required and delivery dates requested. The contractors shall
provide DHA Communications with a single Point Of Contact (POC)
and address(es) for delivery of educational materials.