Ramstein UBO assists patients with medical insurance

For active-duty military medical coverage, there’s Tricare. So, where do all the other Ramstein employees and families go for help with other medical insurance?

The Ramstein Uniform Business Office is the 86th Medical Group’s core when dealing with medical insurance-related issues, third-party collections and medical service accounts.

“Our office’s main goal is the collection of other health insurance information,” Airman 1st Class Ryan Darish, 86th Medical Group resource management office clerk. “When we collect this information, we can then send the bills out to their insurance companies of the patients.”

The office provides medical billing claims and services to more than 500 personnel not covered under Tricare.

Some of their primary personnel include Department of Defense Dependent School teachers and Army and Air Force Exchange Service employees.

“A huge misconception with our job is that once our office receives your other health insurance information that you’re all set.” Darish said. “The DD 2569 form patients fill out needs to be submitted annually.”

Each patient covered by third-party insurance is required to submit and keep form DD 2569 updated in order to verify patients can collect their medical bills. If the information is not up-to-date, UBO personnel cannot bill and collect funds from their insurance company. Therefore, the individual may be responsible for paying their own medical bills.

The money collected helps facilitate the 86th Medical Group.

“When we recoup the money, we’re able to buy better medicines, better equipment and make the hospital structure better to improve patient care.” said Tech Sgt. Anival Medrano, 86th Medical Group UBO NCO in charge.

The UBO members say they’re continually trying to improve their processes and programs.

“At the end of the day, our job is to help the patients,” Medrano said. “And we want to give them the best customer service experience possible.”

The UBO office is scheduled to host a “Third Party Collection Outreach” booth to assist in collecting and updating DD 2569 forms from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 25 at the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center on Ramstein.

For more information, call 479-2320 or visit the UBO office from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Ramstein, Bldg. 2182, room 17. Online payments may be made in office or online at www.pay.gov.