New baby coming or just arrived? There’s so much to remember.

In order to keep up with your baby’s growth and medical checkups, add “Enroll in DEERS” to your to-do list. DEERS, or Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, is a computerized database of uniformed services members, their family and others who are eligible for military benefits such as TRICARE.

By policy, newborns of families registered with TRICARE are covered. If a family member is enrolled in TRICARE Prime, the newborn is automatically enrolled in Prime for 60 days after birth, which gives the family time to decide it Prime or Standard is the best plan for the baby and the family. After the 60 days expires, the coverage will switch to Standard if formal Prime enrollment is not completed.

TRICARE Prime is available to active-duty service members, who are required to enroll, and their families; and retirees, non-active Guard or Reserve, survivors, Medal of Honor recipients, and family members of each group. Prime offers fewer out-of-pocket costs than Standard and Extra, but less freedom of choice for providers.

TRICARE Standard and Extra is a fee-for-service plan in place of Prime for all eligible groups except active-duty service members, including activated Guard and Reserve members, and provides participants with more freedom of choice for medical providers, but there are more out-of-pocket costs.

Enrollment in DEERS can be completed with hospital documents such as a certificate of live birth or other documents that validate the child’s connection to a member of the military, so family members don’t need to wait for a formal state or state-department birth certificate. If both parents are active duty, they must decide which parent will add the baby to their DEERS account. Enrollment needs to by done in person by the active-duty military member with all required paperwork to avoid unnecessary confusion or bills for co-payments and cost shares. If a family is growing with an adopted child, the process can be started as soon as the information is available to the family.

To find the nearest DEERS registration site, visit www.dmdc.osd.mil. To learn more about TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Standard and Extra, or for other information about TRICARE, visit www.tricare.mil.

— Information courtesy of TRICARE