Tricare Providers

August 19th, 2010 Brian Smith Leave a comment Go to comments

Tricare Coverage

Tricare is the health insurance option offered to:

Active duty military personnel
Retired military
Activated Guard and Reserve forces
Dependents of eligible personnel

Active duty families who primarily utilize the medical facilities provided on military installations may not realize that Tricare providers are available through civilian venues as well. Depending on the military installation, Tricare beneficiaries may find themselves referred to an off-base civilian provider for medical services. Beneficiaries who do not reside near a military installation will have to locate providers approved by Tricare in order to ensure the visit or procedure is covered by Tricare.

Find Tricare Providers

Tricare offers a few options for people who want to find out which providers are affiliated with Tricare.

Tricare Offices

Most military installations have Tricare offices that are available to answer questions from beneficiaries. Visit one of these offices and request a full list of eligible providers within a certain geographic region. There is a good chance the office will already have these lists printed and available for beneficiaries.

Tricare offices are also excellent resources for other questions regarding coverage options and limitations as well as enrollment and disenrollment questions.

Tricare Customer Service

Call one of the Tricare toll-free telephone numbers to speak to a customer service representative about the Tricare providers near you. You will be asked to provide either a zip code or the name of the nearest military installation in order to locate the nearest approved providers.

The phone number you call depends on your location. Check the Tricare website for more information if you are not sure which region your coverage falls under.

Online Resource

Using the Tricare website to locate providers is simple. Visit the main Tricare website to determine your coverage region, or if you already know which region you fall under, visit the website specific to the region to search for Tricare providers.

Be prepared to provide your eligibility status, your location, and what type of Tricare coverage you have.

Routine vs. Referrals

Despite the fact that there are many civilian Tricare providers around the globe, many Tricare beneficiaries must get permission from Tricare before visiting a civilian provider. This is especially true for active duty families residing near a military installation featuring a hospital or clinics.

In other words, just because an off-base provider accepts Tricare, it does not mean that the beneficiary should not first get permission to visit the non-military provider. Office visits and procedures may not be approved for payment if permission is not obtained prior to the visit, leaving the patient responsible for the debt.

Obtain a referral for a civilian provider by speaking to a Tricare representative or your Primary Care Manager within the military healthcare system. It is important to note that not all approve providers accept new patients throughout the year. Just because a provider is approved by Tricare, it does not mean that the provider must see you.

Become a Tricare Provider

If you are a medical professional and want to become an authorized Tricare provider, visit the resources page available through the Tricare website. This page details the reasons why becoming a provider is advantageous as well as what steps a provider must take in order to become eligible to treat Tricare beneficiaries as a preferred provider.

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