How to Travel With Tricare

When you travel, it is important to know what you must do and what your insurance will cover in the event of an emergency. Tricare, the health care program for military personnel and their families, makes it fairly simple to obtain health care when you are traveling, depending on the option in which you are enrolled. Your routine health care should be up-to-date and your prescriptions filled before you travel. Ensure that your military identification cards do not expire before you will return from your trip.

Instructions

• 1

  Verify each family member's information in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). Call 800-538-9552 or visit the DEERS' website (dmdc.osd.mil) and correct any outdated information. Be sure each family member, over 10 years of age, has a military identification card.

• 2

  Pack all military identification cards, which doubles as your Tricare insurance cards, phone numbers for each person's primary care manager (PCM) and the phone number for your Tricare region (north, south or west). This information can be obtained by contacting your PCM or the military treatment facility on the military installation where you or your sponsor is assigned.

• 3

  Call your PCM or Tricare region if you need to visit an urgent care facility or physician to get prior authorization if you are enrolled in Tricare Prime. The program will validate your referral so that it will pay your usual benefits and refer you to a network provider. However, if you do not call and request authorization, you will use the point-of-service option, in which you must pay a deductible. You may find deductible amounts and information on the Tricare website (see Resource 2). If you are enrolled in Tricare Standard, you may visit any network provider and receive your usual insurance coverage without a referral. You do not need to contact your primary care physician or the Tricare region.

• 4

  Visit the nearest emergency room if you have a medical emergency. If you are enrolled in Tricare Prime, you must contact your PCM or Tricare region to apprise them of your health care emergency within 24 hours or the next business day. They will coordinate any additional care needed. If you are enrolled in Tricare Standard, you may visit any network emergency room and receive care without a referral or having to call Tricare.