The Doctor Is In – Traveling with TRICARE

Posted on July 17, 2012 by jtozer

Brigadier General W. Bryan Gamble, M.D. Deputy Director TRICARE Management Activity

Summer vacation is a great time to take your family overseas and explore other countries and new cultures.  These trips should be relaxing and enjoyable, not filled with worry about a sudden illness or accident. TRICARE beneficiaries on summer vacation are covered even when they travel out of the country.

You can reduce the chances of health care problems while traveling by seeing your doctor for regular office visits and treatment of ongoing conditions before leaving town. You should also make sure your family’s records are up-to-date in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (www.tricare.mil/DEERS). Finally, make sure to refill any prescription medications before leaving for the trip. TRICARE permits you one “vacation override” (early refill) per year. Call the TRICARE Pharmacy contractor Express Scripts at 1-877-363-1303 for more information.

You should also speak with your primary care manager (PCM) to find out which immunizations the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends for your destination. It’s best to schedule this visit at least four to six weeks before traveling, as many immunizations take time to effectively guard against diseases, and some may require a series of vaccinations.

Anytime you have a health emergency while traveling overseas, go to the nearest emergency facility immediately. The local U.S. Embassy or Consulate can help you find a treatment facility. You can also contact the TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP) Regional Call Center/Medical Assistance line to locate the nearest medical facility or to coordinate overseas emergency care in the area where you’re traveling. For toll-free contact information, go to www.tricare-overseas.com/ContactUs.

Prior authorization is not required for emergency care. However, once you have received emergency care, call the TOP Regional call center number for claims assistance as soon as you are able.  Any follow-up care must be coordinated to include subsequent referrals and authorizations.

If you have TRICARE Standard and need emergency or urgent care while overseas, you should be prepared to pay up-front and submit a claim with the TOP claims processor once you arrive home. For claims mailing information, go to www.tricare-overseas.com. You may also consider purchasing travel insurance that includes overseas health coverage to help with out of pocket expenses.

You can’t control everything about a family trip overseas. However, if you take a few simple steps before you leave, and understand how TRICARE travels with you, you can cut down on vacation stress. For more information about traveling overseas with TRICARE, visit www.tricare.mil/overseas. Enjoy your travels and stay safe!

By Brigadier General W. Bryan Gamble, M.D.
Deputy Director, TRICARE Management Activity

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  • Anonymous

    Jim H, we don’t censor blog comments on DoDLive, in fact, we encourage a healthy, respectful discussion about DoD issues. You can read our comment policy here: http://www.dodlive.mil/index.php/disclaimer/

  • Lebarronus

    i am returning to philippines in jan, and i read on the tricare website about the phase1 pilot progran starting in jan,2013. so i called tricare and she said she didn’t know anything about it, i also emailed req. any additional info i might need before traveling, and never got a reply. then i called intl SoS and this operater told me i could be seen in anylocal hospital or on base free of charge, and i said base? what base? after a long pause she sounded confuesed and said “well thats what my computer tells me”.  i just don’t understand why tricare cannot train their staff to to get correct, up to date info.
    she was talking about base’s that were closed over a decade ago.

  • Joints_gohappy

    Hello, I filled out an application for health care insurance with TriCare on June 13th of 2012 for me and my spouse. First off I did not need to add my husband, for some reason there wasn’t an option to not add him as stated by the represenative on the phone. I was told week after week that I did not have insurance by your represenative over the telephone. Anywho, I called Tricare today August 7th of 2012 and spoke to Amanda-75046 the individaul whom was/is incharge of my account. Now for some reason, unknown or unannounced to me, she has back dated my TriCare account to April 20th of 2012 because of this there is somehow an amount do in excess of $800. Now why would I owe money for months I did not have insursance with TriCare, how is this not extortion? How is this legal? Why is Tri Care trying to take what little I have forcing to be unable to pay my rent, utilities, auto insurance, fuel and food? Eight hundred dollars might seem insignifigant to some, in my world this means major sacrafices including possibly losing my employment do to inability to pay auto insurance and fuel not to mention food to maintain energy to perform while I am at work. To continuiosly be told week after week by your TriCare represenatives that my application has not been approved and I do not have insurance then on August 7 th of 2012 your represenatives stated I owe in excess of $800 is a disgusting representation of the the unted stated government and any individual employed with the united states goverment. Now, Mary Ann Scappaticci returned my call stating I must spend several hours of my free time on the computer fixing this situation myself. Why would I have to be resposible for fixing TriCare’s mistakes? Why am I being abused by TriCare?