Julie or anyone else with Tricare

[anonymous]

Does anyone whose family memeber is in the EFMP program know what category they are? Does anyone know if they have priority for on base housing? I am going to call and find out what category Danny is, just wondering if anyone had any answers in the meantime.

Nicole

 

[ladybug]

Hi, Nicole...

All I know is there's a "Q" on DH's file cause of the EFMP. Is this the catergory, I don't know?

As far as preference for base housing.... I don't know whether that would matter unless you can make a strong case that his docs are on base and he would need to be close to them. We never checked into it, even though base housing list was 8 months' wait. We just lived off base at both duty stations we've been at. Please let me know what you find out though about the priority thing, cause I would love to use that in the future! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[julie]

Sonia, no Q isn't a category. The categories range from 1-5.

Mark is a 4, just because they want him to be near major medical. And to answer your question, yes Nicole EFMP families do have base housing priorities.

Hope this helps.

 

[Cariann2005Rob]

I am a catagory 4 also just so that i have to be near a major medical center!!!
cariann 21 w/cf cfrd mrsa

 

[anonymous]

How do you find out what category you are in? All I have is a Q-code listed in my records...would the EFMP office have this, or our peds doc? Thx!

 

[Seana30]

Courtney is also a category 4.

Seana

 

[anonymous]

I still need to call and find out what category he is. As far as base housing, we usually live off base but housing in CA is soooo expensive we are considering moving on base. After I posted, my husband was searching the net and found something that says that at Travis (where we are) that they rarely will bump you up on the list because of your EFMP status. His CF drs all all civilian so theres really no "medical need" for him to be on base. Thanks for the replies!

Nicole

 

[julie]

Nicole,

You would find out by talking to your local EFMP office. Your peds doctor, military or not has not a thing to do with the categories. Usually, you can call base directory and get it. But if they aren't helpful, try asking for the medical department and they should be able to put you in touch with the EFMP coordinator.

You should talk to the EFMP coordinator in your area and see what their standard is for the area. I know in San diego (because it was a critical housing area) you were bumped to the top if you had an EFMP. Same in WA, although it is NOT a critical housing area. Might want to talk to the EFMP office first, then the housing office.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[ladybug]

Hmmm.... I've never heard you'd get priority for housing. Why would they do this? I mean, I can understand if it has to do with finances (although you get BAH off base) or if you're medical center is on base, but for everything else, why would they do this? Critical housing or not?

I suppose I am a 4 since I have to be near a major medical center as well... actually, my docs always fill out the paperwork that I must be near an accredited CF center, which narrows the field even more.

 

[julie]

Sonia,

I think their line of thinking is that an EFMP family might be more "needy" financially. Just like single parents get base housing priority as well. In San Diego the single parents and EFMP families were neck to neck in priority level, and the "other families" came in last.

 

[ladybug]

Excellent! This would have been nice to know before we bought our home as we were about 8 months away on the waiting list. Although, most base housing is very difficult for officers to get into since it is mostly for enlisted, so I don't know if they'd ever make that exception and give us a place reserved for enlisted (here, they all pretty much live in the same area).

I must confess, I haven't signed up for EFMP here yet. I just haven't been motivated. Really, other than determining which base you go to, EFMP doesn't seem to do anything else helpful in my opinion... have you experienced otherwise? I guess with housing priority that is another way they help, but I just didn't feel like my last base would have done anything other than when I moved, getting me to a place with medical care.

 

[julie]

Sonia, the benefits for us were pretty much what you already listed. Location for orders, and I guess (???) depending on where you live, base housing as a priority. I know in SD, and even here in WA where housing is NOT critical (Thought I disagree with that!!), EFMP's are priority, enlisted or officer. It's just that sometimes officer housing is separate from enlisted, so you'd have to wait in the officer group <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

Usually you only do your initial EFMP intake and are put into a category, and then have to be recertified every 3 years.

I agree though, other than that, there's not really much. Oh, the program for people with disabilities though tricare. You pay $25 a month and they cover an additional $1000. Not really beneficial spending though if you are already tricare prime or seen at a MTF.

 

[anonymous]

Update--

I called my local EFMP office and spoke with the person in charge. She said that all branches of the military run the program a little different. Navy and Army give a numbered category to the EFMP person but the Air Force does not. You're either in the program or not, there are no categories. That would explain why we were never told what category Danny is! Also there is no priority for housing. The only was you might be bumped up a little is say if you had a child in a wheelchair and need a special house. Then they would try to help you out. So basically it's just for working assignments. On another note Sonia, I don't think that they would ever put you in enlisted housing. I have never seen that happen. Anyway, just thought I'd let you know what I found out.

Nicole

 

[julie]

That's very interesting Nicole. I never would have known that. Thanks for the update.

Have you called the housing office, just to *see* if they would be willing to bump you up on the list? It never hurts to try, explain the situation to them and the need for the child to be in EFMP. You might be surprised to find someone who understands and is willing to go the extra mile to help you out. Just a thought.

Keep us posted, I hope you get what your family needs out of this!!

 

[anonymous]

I did call housing and they told me the same thing. We are not even sure yet if we want to move, just checking things out. Thanks for the advice.

Nicole

 

[ladybug]

I had actually heard the AF has a different program than the other branches as well... for example, at one point in the past, Julie had mentioned that your spouse can't be sent somewhere without you as a long tour, which my EFMP office said was not true. For the AF, the responsibilites of the military member are not at all altered (other than where you can get stationed) because of EFMP status. Stupid, if you ask me. But, they said, if they need to send him somewhere overseas, and there is no alternative, he'd have to go. For example, if DH has to go to Korea for a year, he'd still have to go, even though I am in EFMP and am "dependent" on him. Urgh.... frustrating! I mean, most of the time, I am very independent, but if I need IV's or get really sick and have no strength to cook/clean/even get up in the morning, I really AM dependent on him, and if we're alone in a city with no family or friends, I'd like to know what I'm supposed to do if he's in Korea!?!? (sorry for the rant, just gets me very upset...)

 

[vmhoward]

Sonia,

We have garran in the EFMP program and it did restict which posts we could go to. My husband got orders to go to Germany and they told him we couldnt go because of Garran, they dont have military CF centers there. Then they put him on orders for Texas and that fell through because Sam Houston is so far from Ft Hood. and the center is at sam houston. Then they put him on orders for Korea for a year unaccompanied, and Garran got sick and his Dr. asked if we could try for a Compassionate reassignment so my husband wouldnt have to leave me and the kids for a year alone. It was approved thank god because as soon as he got to Korea he would be going to the desert. I am sure I would have been fine with the year alone but I am glad it went through.

The EFMP can be a help and a hinderance. We did get on post housing quicker because of garran but I dont know if it is like that at every post. Plus we live right next to the hospital on post, not that it is a great hospital too many misdiagnosis' for me to count. But still...

 

[anonymous]

We were told that we can go anywhere as long as there is CF care available. What they mean and how far away it can be, I don't know. It took forever for EFMP to okay our assignment here to Travis. There are at least 5 major CF centers in our area so don't know what the problem was. Just some more stupid people, I guess! We were also told that my husband could get out of one deployment if Danny was in bad shape. Don't know if that means once in his AF career or once every assignment?

Sonia, did you know that if you're husband would get a remote you would have the option to stay at your current base, go to the follow-on base, or go back to your home area? I think I would move back home (to MN--excellent CF care) if it were a year or more. Don't know the specifics of how BAH works then but something to think about.

Nicole

 

[ladybug]

Victoria,

I assume since you're talking about "posts" instead of "bases" and FORT Sam Houston (GREAT base, btw!!!) you're army? I think its different with AF, which is what we are. I do think we could maybe get a compassionate release (is that what you called it), but I'd have to make a really good case, and it would be up to the commander, I think. I just read through my paperwork from Lackland in TX and they specifically say that this will NOT hinder the military member from doing any TDY (Korea is a TDY, however, Germany would not be, so we could get out of going to Germany for a couple of years if needed). It basically states that the member will still have to carry out any and all obligations to the AF (except for a PCS to a base that does not have services nearby) and that EFMP is simply there to "help" with placing the family member where there are services when he/she is away on TDY orders. Now, perhaps that is just for Lackland, but I'm not sure. I will be meeting with an EFMP case worker at Nellis in the near future (if I ever get the motivation to make the trek there), so will keep you posted what they say.

I am curious if anyone knows for the AF whether I have to continuously "sign in" for the EFMP program at every move? Or, will the code just stay on my DH's file and I don't have to refill out all that daunting paperwork every 2-3 years?!?! Urgh!

Also, wanted to let ya'll know that my paperwork from Lackland did say "Q" was a code they put on the file of the military member's file if any family member is in the EFMP program. It doesn't say anymore information. So, technically, it IS a code, but not a code in the sense that the army and navy seem to give a numerical code for diagnosis.

<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[anonymous]

It's my understanding that once you're in the program you're in. That you don't have to "re-apply" at each new assignment. Unless your health condition would change. In fact we were thinking of trying to pull Daniel out because they were giving us such problems getting this assignment. We knew there was CF care so I don't know what their problem was. We were told by others that you can't simply disenroll. I have known some other people where the wife had breast cancer about 5-6 years back and was put in the program. She was treated and has been fine ever since but they won't let her out. Before you PCS you do have to go meet with the dr and he looks over everything and sees what services you need and coordinates with your new base.

Nicole