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PCSing with pregnant wife?

Pags

N/A
pilot
Ladies-
Looks like Mrs. Pags and I will be PCSing while she's pregnant. Is anyone familiar with what we need to do tricare-wise to ensure that she's got a doctor set up when we move?

thanks!
 

Belle

two babies make a mama insane
I PCS'd with hubby when pregnant. When we got to our new duty station, I just went straight to the Tricare service office in the hospital, had them transfer my coverage. Then I went to the records office in the hospital and had them request my records from my last duty station. Then I went to the OB clinic and had them set me up the next available appointment. There wasn't much I could really do beforehand.

I suppose it depends on where you are PCS'ing to as to where the Tricare office would be, if there is a military hospital, and if not, where she would be seen. Plus, if she's on Standard and getting off base care, she'll have to do all the legwork on her own finding a new provider and what not.

I was 28 weeks at the time (just entering the 3rd trimester) and it all went really smoothly. Good luck!
 

et1nuke

Active Member
pilot
Contributor
I PCS'd with hubby when pregnant. When we got to our new duty station, I just went straight to the Tricare service office in the hospital, had them transfer my coverage. Then I went to the records office in the hospital and had them request my records from my last duty station. Then I went to the OB clinic and had them set me up the next available appointment. There wasn't much I could really do beforehand.

I suppose it depends on where you are PCS'ing to as to where the Tricare office would be, if there is a military hospital, and if not, where she would be seen. Plus, if she's on Standard and getting off base care, she'll have to do all the legwork on her own finding a new provider and what not.

I was 28 weeks at the time (just entering the 3rd trimester) and it all went really smoothly. Good luck!

I concur. This is the way to do it.

What not to do. Call up Tricare over the phone like their website says you should do. I think they even say something to the effect of switching over the phone is "easy" or "fast" or something completely untrue. Basically we moved at about the 8 or 10 week point and called the number. After a few weeks of not being able to schedule an appointment and hearing nothing we called. They said they were still processing the transfer (we were going from TriWEST to TriNORTH). Another couple weeks and not having any prenatal care on our first child my wife gets annoyed and worried she hasn't been seen. So she goes down to the clinic and they say had she come in person and done the paperwork there she could've ended up making an appointment the same day. But since the process had already been started over the phone it was like a runawary train that couldn't be stopped.

So I'd advise against doing things over the phone with the general 800 numbers on the Tricare website. We'll be moving again sometime this year and once again in the same boat.
 

MrsPickle

MIT- Manatee In Training
Contributor
We moved when I was 39 weeks with Pickle Junior and 33 weeks with the Diva. It is WAY easier to move/change OBs, when going to a MTF (Naval Hospital). When we moved from Enid to Corpus, I had a civilian PCM and, consequently, a civilian OB. TriCare told me that it was going to take 8-10 days to get my PCM. Okay, that's fine. I wasn't THAT far along (and had no problems with baby #2). I met with my PCM and his office staff told me it would take up to 6 weeks to get the referral in for an OB.

Personally, I think they were being lazy. To be referred to a civilian OB, your PCM must write a referral, no matter how far along you are. I called TriCare and tried to get around this, but in the end, I needed the referral. (Did I mention this was the end of May and hot as BALLS in Corpus!?)

So, I just sat in their office and informed them that I was not leaving until I got my referral and an appointment set up right there. I also told the office staff that if I went into labor right there, then it was okay, because I was a good pusher. The receptionist laughed and I told her that I wasn't kidding. Interesting... Had the referral and my appointment within minutes! :D

When Pickle was commissioned, I was 38 weeks and had done all my prenatal care at NAS JAX. We moved the next week to NASP. I had my nurse in JAX call the OB Clinic at Corry and give her a heads up. They faxed the important parts of my record and let me take the paper record with me with the move.

If you aren't in the 3rd trimester AND/OR have complications (gestational diabetes, preterm labor, special-needs baby, etc), then you should be good to make the appropriate appointments when you get there. I know that Pickle had to be checked in at his new command/we had to have our new address for them to make any appointments.

I've been lucky enough to have done all of our moves within TriSouth. Ironically, our first move out of TriSouth and I FINALLY will not be pregnant and/or have an infant! Wahoo!

Good luck! Let me know if you have any other questions about your move with a pregnant lady! ;)
 

Pags

N/A
pilot
Ladies-
Thanks for the help.

Mrs. Pags has been being seen at a MTF, but we're headed to a location that doesn't have a Naval Hospital close (nearest is Bethesda, ~2hrs away).

I think she'll be 7+mo at the time. A buddy of mine recently did the same thing and jsut said that our flight doc helped smooth things over, so I'll have to chat with her on this one.
 
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