TRICARE tools tame tax time Published March 1, 2010 By Tyler Patterson TriWest Healthcare Alliance ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- Love it or hate it, there's no denying it: tax season is here. People inevitably find themselves digging through piles of paper looking for last year's forms and receipts. There's a better way - TRICARE West Region beneficiaries can find TRICARE out-of-pocket costs online through their secure www.triwest.com account. Account History To help track healthcare expenses, people can access up to three years of claims, benefit statements and any enrollment fee information through their www.triwest.com account. They can see all the benefits of registration at www.triwest.com/register. Qualified Medical Expenses For people who itemize annual tax deductions, certain medical expenses may be eligible for deduction. The Internal Revenue Service allows for expenses like equipment costs, supplies, and diagnostic devices, dental expenses, as well as fees for eye exams, eyeglasses and contact lenses. Always check with a tax professional for allowable deductions. People can contact a tax advisor at a military base tax preparation center, or visit www.militaryonesource.com. Special tax provisions exist for members of the military and are listed at www.irs.gov; click on "Individuals" along the top of the page and then follow the "Military" link for specific information. Go Paperless After a secure TriWest online account has been developed, log in and sign up for paperless communications and go green! For more information about services available from a TriWest account, visit www.triwest.com/register or call (888)-874-9378.