How to Get Maternity Care With Tricare in 25 Easy Steps!

Based on a true story...

1. Make an appointment with your primary care manager for pregnancy verification and a referral (because people want to have prenatal care for the fun of it!).
2. Wait a few days for the referral to process in the system.
3. Call your new provider to set up an appointment.
4. That wasn’t hard, until you realize that your new costs are 20x more than your last three births plus, the provider has additional fees not covered by insurance.
5. Take a deep breathe and find a different provider, it can’t be too hard!
6. Call the OBGYN who delivered your baby six years ago… “oh, you don’t take Tricare anymore…?”
7. Call Tricare to find the closest provider that’s in network.
8. Transfer your care to them.
9. Wait for the referral to be sent to your new doctor.
10. Call to set up an appointment.
11. “…oh, you don’t take new patients with Tricare?”
12. Call up Tricare and have them transfer your referral to the next closest provider.
13. Wait for the referral to process.
14. Call your new provider!
15. “….Oh, you’re an oncology center… you don’t see patients for prenatal care?... Do you know an OBGYN?... click!”
16. Call Tricare and find the next closest provider.
17. They’re 50 minutes away, which is longer than your last labor, but hey, the baby is coming with or without care.
18. Wait for the referral to process.
19. Call the provider to set up your appointment.
20. … They don’t have your referral
21. Wait another day and call again
22. … And another day…
23. … and a full week…
24. Hooray! They can see you in 2 weeks.
25. Congratulations on missing a full 10 weeks of prenatal care, hopefully everything is still ok... and thank you for your service to the country! 

OK, rant OVER :)