Delta Dental will continue use of military retirees’ Social Security numbers through September 30, 2013

As you know, the Department of Defense (DOD) recently implemented a comprehensive program to replace the Social Security number (SSN) on all military identification cards (ID) with a unique DOD ID number. In addition to this unique ID number, eligible individuals will also be assigned an 11-digit DOD Benefits Number (DBN) that will be printed on the back of the new ID card to be used for TRICARE medical and dental benefits. 

The TRICARE Management Authority (TMA), which oversees the administration of the DOD’s TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP) contract with Delta Dental of California, has completed an extensive evaluation of the systems currently in place and the modifications that would be required to accommodate acceptance of the DBNs, which are currently not available to Delta Dental. Based on the results of this evaluation, TMA has determined that Delta Dental will continue to use Social Security numbers throughout the remainder of the current contract as the primary means of identifying retirees who are eligible to enroll or who are currently enrolled in the TRDP. These retirees should also continue to use their SSN when corresponding with Delta Dental regarding the TRDP.

We appreciate your concerns about security and assure you that we take the protection of our enrollees’ personal information very seriously. With those concerns in mind, we encourage you to review our Notice of Privacy Practices.

Posted: September 13, 2011