Military Former Spouse Medical Benefits

There are several ways that being the former spouse of a military Servicemember can retain privileges for benefits.  These benefits can be for everything from the PX, to commissary, to even medical benefits.  Full benefits are extended to a former spouse of a military Servicemember when:
-The former spouse is not re married, and remains unmarried while receiving the benefits.
-There was a 20-year overlap between military service and the marriage
-The Servicemember and the former spouse had been married for at least 20 years.

Such former military spouses are referred to as: “20/20/20 Former Military Spouses.”
Because they meet these three conditions they qualify for full benefits as long as they remain unmarried.  If a former spouse to a Servicemember is covered by their own employer health plan, then they do not qualify for benefits from the military for medical coverage.  But should this coverage cease; if they are still unmarried then their former military medical coverage can be reinstated after applying.  If a Former Spouse remarries, then all benefits and privileges they qualified for previously are terminated upon their marriage.  If the marriage that is subsequent is ended by divorce or death, then their previous eligibility for Base Exchange, theater, and commissary privileges may be reinstated.

In this situation medical privileges for the former spouse cannot be reinstated once they were terminated because of a marriage.
Limited Former Privileges-
If a former spouse was divorced before 1 April 1985, and meets the other qualifications of the 20/20/20 former spouse there are some cases where only part privileges are possible.  If the former spouse has:
-Only a 15-year (not 20 year) overlap between military service and the marriage.
-The Servicemember completed at least 20 years of active duty military service.
-The parties were married for at least 20 years.

In this type of circumstance, then there are limited benefits available.   These benefits include:
A renewable 4-year ID card authorizing Medical Benefits, no Base Exchange privileges, no theater Privileges, and no Commissary privileges. Former Spouses who qualify for limited benefits that end their marriage between 01 April 1985 and 30 September 1988 are allowed medical coverage for two years.  This is a strict two-year entitlement that ends after two years.  Former spouses with limited benefit qualifications who are divorced after 30 September 1988 qualify only for one year of medical benefits.    All Former spouses who seek benefits of any type must qualify under the basic requirements of the 20/20/20 or the 20/20/15 former military spouse requirements.  Otherwise there is no qualification for any benefits possible.