Do I need a referral for urgent or emergency care?
If you believe you have an emergency, call 911 or your international emergency number or go to the nearest emergency roomThe hospital department that provides emergency services to patients who need immediate medical attention.. You don’t need a referral. If you're enrolled in a TRICARE Prime plan, call your primary care manager within 24 hours or the next business day after you get emergency care.
For urgent care, see the tables below.
| TRICARE Plan | Active Duty Service Member | Active Duty Family Member | Retiree or Retiree Family Member |
| TRICARE Prime | Yes | No, as long as you get urgent care from any TRICARE-authorized urgent care center or network provider. | |
| TRICARE Young Adult- Prime | Not applicable | ||
| TRICARE Prime Remote | No, but you must follow Service regulations. | No, as long as you get urgent care from any TRICARE-authorized urgent care center or network provider. If you don’t have an assigned primary care provider, you may use any TRICARE-authorized providerAn authorized provider is any individual, institution/organization, or supplier that is licensed by a state, accredited by national organization, or meets other standards of the medical community, and is certified to provide benefits under TRICARE. There are two types of TRICARE-authorized providers: Network and Non-Network. DS. | Not applicable |
| TRICARE Prime Overseas | No, but you should call International SOS to get an authorization so your urgent care visit is cashless and claimless. | ||
| TRICARE Prime Remote Overseas | |||
| TRICARE For Life | Not applicable | Not applicable | No |
| TRICARE Plan | Plan Enrollees |
| TRICARE Select Overseas | No, but you should call International SOS to get an authorization so your urgent care visit is cashless and claimless. |
| TRICARE Young Adult-Select | No, but always choose a TRICARE-authorized provider. |
| TRICARE Reserve Select | |
| TRICARE Retired Reserve |
Last Updated 3/29/2024