Tricare grants extension for overseas claims filing Published Jan. 29, 2009 FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AFNS) -- Tricare Management Activity officials have extended the "timely filing waiver" for dates of service before Dec. 31, 2007, to allow providers, beneficiaries and others living overseas additional time to submit overdue claims for reimbursement. The original deadline was Dec. 31, 2008, for services received before Dec. 31, 2007. Since the December deadline was announced, nearly 4,500 claims have been received and approved for processing and payment. The late filings from overseas occurred because some countries give host-nation health care professionals as long as three years to file claims for reimbursement. Tricare requires beneficiaries to file claims within one year from the date of service or inpatient discharge. The extension to March 31, 2009, also provides an opportunity for officials at Tricare area offices to continue educating providers, beneficiaries and others about Tricare claims filing policy. Extension of this timely filing waiver applies to providers and beneficiaries, overseas Tricare area offices, remote points of contact and others with outstanding health care claims with dates of service before Dec. 31, 2007. Under the additional extension, overdue or "untimely" claims filed by providers and beneficiaries now must be received for processing before March 31 by Wisconsin Physician Services, Tricare's overseas claims processor. To file an overdue claim, beneficiaries must mail a completed DD Form 2642 with a copy of the itemized bill and receipts to WPS. WPS officials maintain several post office boxes for overseas claims, based on overseas area and beneficiary category. To find the correct address, check your Tricare Overseas Program Handbook. Late claims without proper information will not be paid; however, WPS processors will record the date they receive the claim, which stops the clock until additional information is received and reviewed. Consequently, it is critical that they receive these claims before March 31, officials said. When WPS representatives deny late claims, they will note this on the explanation of benefits which also provides information on filing an appeal. Contact information also is provided for questions about appealing a denial. Beneficiaries who recently submitted untimely claims should allow WPS reps time to process these and post them on their Web site at tricare4u.com. Although WPS added staff to process approximately 4,500 claims received so far, manual overseas claims processing requires additional time, so beneficiaries are urged to be patient and wait until February before contacting WPS about their claim status. Tricare officials will deny claims with dates of service before Dec. 31, 2007, that are submitted after the new March 31 deadline. Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) View the comments/letters page