Using TRICARE Prime

If you’re enrolled in TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Prime Remote, or TRICARE Young Adult-Prime in the U.S., follow these guidelines when traveling:

If Traveling in the U.S.

• Get all your routine care before traveling.
• If you need emergency care, go to an emergency roomThe hospital department that provides emergency services to patients who need immediate medical attention. or call 911. Note: Call your primary care manager or regional contractor within 24 hours.
• If you need urgent care, you may visit a TRICARE-authorized urgent care center without a referral, unless you’re an active duty service member in a Prime Service Area.

If Traveling Overseas

• Get all routine care before traveling.

• If you need emergency care, go the nearest emergency facility.  
  • Search for emergency facilities or call the overseas contractor, International SOS, to find a provider.
  • Before you leave the facility, contact International SOS Medical Assistance:
    • Eurasia-Africa: +44-20-8762-8133 
    • Latin America and Canada: +1-215-942-8320 
    • Pacific: +61-2-9273-2760
  • If you’re admitted, International SOS will coordinate with the facility for payment and determine if you should be transferred to another facility. International SOS will also coordinate emergency transport, if needed.

• If you need urgent care, contact International SOS for a pre-authorization to use urgent care. If you don’t contact the contractor for authorization, you may have to pay the provider up front and file a claim for reimbursement.
  • Search for urgent care providers or call International SOS to find a provider.
  • Keep a copy of all your receipts—overseas claims require proof of payment.

Filling Prescriptions When Traveling

We recommend that you fill your prescriptions before you travel. But if you need to fill a prescription while traveling, you can:

• Fill the prescription at the military pharmacy if one is nearby. Call the pharmacy first to see if they have your prescription.
• Find the closest network pharmacy.
  • Available in the U.S. and most U.S. territories
  • If a network pharmacy isn’t available, you can visit a non-network pharmacy.

Note: TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery isn’t recommended for prescriptions you need right away. If you’re taking a long vacation, you can arrange for any regular prescriptions to be filled via home delivery.

Learn more about your options for filling prescriptions.