§8988 Premiums

Summary

Everyone who gets supplemental vision coverage must pay 100 percent of the premium. The Office will make rules about how and when to pay. Premiums can be collected in different ways: taken from an employee’s pay, taken from an annuitant’s annuity, taken from the pay or annuity of a covered TRICARE-eligible person who gets federal pay or an annuity because a member of the uniformed services died (and who is not a former spouse), or billed directly to other covered TRICARE-eligible people. Money withheld goes straight to the qualified company that provides the coverage. Each participating qualified company must keep accounting records the Office requires. The Employee Health Benefits Fund may pay the Office’s reasonable expenses before the first day of the first contract period, including reasonable implementation costs. A Vision Benefits Administrative Account inside that Fund will pay ongoing expenses after the first contract year. Contracts must have the qualified company make yearly contributions to that account to cover expected Office costs.