Inpatient Hospital Services

You don’t need to get pre-authorization for emergency services. But you do need approval for ongoing treatment.

You do need pre-authorization for non-emergency inpatient hospital services.

Emergency Services

TRICARE covers emergency inpatient hospital services when:

• You have a medical or psychiatric emergency.
• You need immediate hospital admission.

You’ll get treatment at the closest hospital that can provide your care.

If you have a mental health or substance use disorder, TRICARE will cover emergency inpatient hospital services for:

• Management of withdrawal symptoms (detoxification)
• Your stabilization
• Any medical complications you may have from your disorder 

Nonemergency Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitalization

TRICARE covers inpatient psychiatric hospitalization for:

• Diagnosis and treatment of mental health
• Substance use disorders

You may get care in:

• Private psychiatric hospitals
• Local, state, or federal government psychiatric hospitals

These facilities help you with management of mental health conditions that require:

• Around-the-clock care
• Medically monitored treatment

You may receive approval for inpatient psychiatric hospitalization if you:

• Pose a serious risk of harm to yourself or others
• Need specialized medication
• Need psychological treatment
• Have a significant impairment in functioning
• Need to be in a hospital full-time
• Are unable to maintain yourself in the community with only outpatient services