TRICARE Basics
This is the name of the U.S. Department of Defense’s health care program for military members and their families.
What is TRICARE?
This plan is a managed care option requiring enrollment and primary care manager selection.
What is TRICARE Prime?
Under TRICARE Prime, this is required to see a specialist.
What is a referral?
This company became the new TRICARE West Region contractor in 2025.
What is TriWest Healthcare Alliance?
TRICARE is managed by this agency under the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs.
What is the Defense Health Agency?
This plan allows beneficiaries to manage their own care without referrals.
What is TRICARE Select?
This group must enroll in TRICARE Prime and are assigned a primary care manager.
Who are active duty service members?
TRICARE Select generally does not require this for specialty care.
What is a referral?
These six states moved from the East to the West Region in 2025.
What are Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin?
TRICARE combines military health facilities with this type of provider network.
What is a civilian network of providers?
This plan provides coverage for those eligible for both TRICARE and Medicare.
What is TRICARE For Life?
Eligibility for TRICARE is determined by the sponsor’s status and reported in this system.
What is DEERS?
As of January 1, 2025, this region has a referral approval waiver in place.
What is the TRICARE West Region?
As of January 1, 2025, all authorizations and claims for TRICARE West are handled by this contractor.
What is TriWest Healthcare Alliance?
This system must have your information updated to determine TRICARE eligibility.
What is DEERS (Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System)?
This premium-based plan is available for qualified members of the Selected Reserve.
What is TRICARE Reserve Select?
These beneficiaries must purchase Medicare Part B to be eligible for TRICARE For Life.
Who are Medicare-eligible TRICARE beneficiaries?
This tool helps TRICARE beneficiaries find network providers.
What is the Find a Doctor tool?
TRICARE beneficiaries can find updates about their region, claims, and referrals on this website.
What is tricare.triwest.com?
TRICARE serves approximately this number of beneficiaries worldwide.
What is about 9.5 million?
This plan is designed for unmarried adult children who have aged out of regular TRICARE coverage.
What is TRICARE Young Adult?
This term refers to events like marriage or retirement that may affect TRICARE eligibility.
What are Qualifying Life Events?
This type of authorization is needed for certain services under TRICARE Select.
What is pre-authorization?
For TRICARE Prime users, referrals submitted after January 1, 2025, are processed through this TriWest portal.
What is the Provider Portal on tricare.triwest.com?