TRICARE TRDP Stays With Delta Dental

Medical expenses are a large and growing portion of the Pentagon’s budget, and continuing care is part of that issue. There are also side programs, like the TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP). It’s a form of worldwide group coverage for eligible personnel retired from the uniformed services, un-remarried surviving spouses, eligible dependents, former members of the armed forces who are Medal of Honor recipients, and their eligible dependents. Enrolees pay the premium costs themselves, but the totals add up for the winning firm.

TRICARE actually has 3 major dental contracts…

In November 2012, Delta Dental in San Francisco, CA won the fixed-price contract to provide TRDP over 1-6 years: a 12-month base period, and 5 more 1-year option periods for dental care, plus a transition-out period. Delta Dental was the incumbent, and has been running this program since 1997.

The contract’s maximum total is estimated at $2.552 billion to manage of provider networks, enrollment, claims processing, and customer service. This contract was competitively procured using the Best Value Tradeoff Source Selection process, with 3 offers received by the TRICARE Management Activity in Aurora, CO (HT9402-13-C-0006).

Met Life handles the larger TRICARE Dental Program for active duty family members, and formally took over in April 2012.

TRICARE’s Active Duty Dental Program for service members is administered by United Concordia Companies, Inc. (UCCI).