Keep DEERS Updated as New Plan Year Begins

/ Published Jan. 12, 2021

201222-N-LW757-1303 SAN DIEGO (Dec. 22, 2020) Parents embrace their child in Naval Medical Center San Diego's (NMCSD) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Dec. 22. NMCSD's NICU celebrated Christmas Cuties, a holiday event in which NICU staff, along with parents, dressed the newborns in holiday-themed clothing to highlight the Christmas season, and take some of the families' focus off the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way many facets of healthcare are conducted, and NMCSD has adapted some of its techniques and practices to keep both staff and patients safe while delivering the high-quality healthcare they’ve come to expect. NMCSD’s mission is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality healthcare services and shape the future of military medicine through education, training and research. NMCSD employs more than 6,000 active duty military personnel, civilians, and contractors in Southern California to provide patients with world-class care anytime, anywhere. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Luke Cunningham)

Did you or your family member experience a change last year that may qualify a DEERS update? As 2021 begins, be sure your and your family’s information is up to date in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, or DEERS. DEERS is a database of active duty and retired service members. It also includes family members and others who are eligible for TRICARE benefits. If you don’t keep your family’s information current, it could delay their access to health care. Errors can also cause delays with your claims and prescription delivery.

When to Update DEERS

You should update your DEERS info anytime you experience a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). Some QLEs include moving, turning age 65, getting married or divorced, or having a child. These life events mean TRICARE health plan options for you and your family may change. As stated in the TRICARE Qualifying Life Events Fact Sheet, your DEERS record lists your family status, service status, and more.

“If you don’t keep your DEERS record up to date after QLEs, you may miss enrollment deadlines,” said Mark Ellis, chief of the Policy and Programs Section of the TRICARE Health Plan with the Defense Health Agency. “Another reason to keep your DEERS information current, like your address and phone number, is so you don’t experience a break in your coverage.”

You should also keep your DEERS information up to date, so you don’t miss important information, like COVID-19 news. As more information around COVID-19 vaccinations becomes available, your information in DEERS will help make sure that you get the latest updates. And then you can act accordingly.

How to Update DEERS

You can make DEERS updates online, by phone, in person, or by mail. To add or remove family members, you must do so in person. If you’re a sponsor or family member, you can make address changes and update other personal information. But only sponsors can add a family member in DEERS. You may need certain documents to do so, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or birth certificate.

Here are the ways you can view and update DEERS information for you and your family members:

• Online: Log in to milConnect.
• By phone: Call 1-800-538-9552 (TTY/TDD: 1-866-363-2883) or fax updates to 1-800-336-4416.
• In person: Visit a local Uniformed Services ID card office.
• By mail: Submit updates to:
  Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office
  Attn: COA
  400 Gigling Road
  Seaside, CA, 93955-6771

Take command of your health this year. And start the New Year with your DEERS information up to date.