TriCare Medical Insurance

TriCare Medical Insurance Availability

Medical coverage is available through TriCare for:

• Active Duty Military Personnel
• Retired Military Personnel
• Dependents of Eligible TriCare Beneficiaries

In some instances, Reservists and National Guardsmen are eligible for TriCare medical insurance benefits, along with other select groups of people. To find out if you are eligible for TriCare medical insurance, visit the TriCare website or call a local TriCare office. Most military medical facilities have TriCare offices on site.

TriCare Standard

TriCare Standard is the medical coverage plan automatically extended to all active duty military personnel. If military personnel do not take the initiative to enroll themselves in TriCare Prime, they will be covered by the TriCare Standard program. This program has a high out-of-pocket expense when compared to TriCare Prime, but it does allow for a great flexibility when the insured person wants to seek care from an alternate health provider. This works well for military members who do not want to seek medical care at a military installation.

TriCare Extra

TriCare Extra is a plan designed for eligible enrollees who are:

• Not enrolled in TriCare Prime
• Are not currently active duty
• Are not eligible for the TriCare for Life program

There is no enrollment fee for TriCare Extra, although the insured person is required to meet deductibles and co-payments. Retirees who utilize TriCare Extra are not issued a health insurance card, so they must take care to make sure their military identification cards are always current. Military identification cards are used in lieu of insurance cards.

TriCare for Life

TriCare for Life is a TriCare medical insurance option for eligible members who are concurrently eligible for Medicare coverage. Although this most often includes military retirees and their Medicare-eligible spouses, this coverage is also extended to eligible personnel who are eligible for Medicare due to certain disabilities or age. This program includes both medical care and pharmacy benefits. The exact benefits afforded to each member vary according to their circumstances.

TriCare Plus

TriCare Plus is not available at each military location, and is at the discretion of the medical commander. This plan allows TriCare enrollees to seek medical care at the medical facilities at the military hospital or clinic instead of using civilian providers. Retirees who wish to remain within the military health system can utilize this plan, but it is important to note that since TriCare Plus availability is at the discretion of the commander, the plans can be cancelled if the mission of the installation no longer supports Plus beneficiaries.

TriCare Prime

TriCare Prime is the TriCare medical insurance option used most often by active duty personnel who need family health insurance. Using TriCare Prime, most insured members have little to no out-of-pocket expense for their medical care. Members must receive permission prior to seeking medical care out of the military medical network, but there are usually no co-payments or deductibles as long as all the procedures are followed by the insured person.

TriCare Prime members will not generally be able to seek alternative medical care, such as massage therapy or acupuncture, and have the TriCare system pay for the therapy. Certain active duty members are restricted from taking various prescription medicines, even if the medicines are prescribed by a doctor. All military members must inform their primary physician of any additional medical therapies which they received outside of the military health system.

TriCare Remote

TriCare Remote is a plan designed for eligible people who live and work at least fifty miles away from any military hospital or clinic. Military members who are at remote locations or who are on special assignment (such as recruiters) can use TriCare Remote to receive benefits similar to TriCare Prime at no extra cost.