Getting Care on Terminal Leave

Event:

QLE?

Going on Terminal Leave 

No.

While you’re on terminal leave, you still have TRICARE Prime.  You must report any changes to your medical status.

If Your Primary Care Manager (PCM) is: Report Your Medical Status Changes to
Military

Transition point personnel

Your military hospital or clinic

Civilian

Transition point personnel

Defense Health Agency - Great Lakes

Military Hospitals and Clinics

You can get care in any military hospital or clinic.  You’ll continue to have the first priority for care.

For Urgent Care rules, visit the Urgent Care page. 

Routine Care

You can get routine medical care when it's:

  • Part of your active health care needs
  • Planned and pre-authorized with your military hospital or clinic or the Defense Health Agency - Great Lakes

Veterans Affairs (VA) Facilities

If you live near a VA medical facility, you can get routine or urgent care there.

  • You must have a referral from your PCM
  • You can get a single authorization for your entire span of terminal leave from your military hospital or clinic or the Defense Health Agency - Great Lakes
  • You won't get authorization for any non-VA care

Overseas

Are you staying overseas on terminal leave and need urgent care in the overseas civilian network? You don’t need a referral, but you must get pre-authorization from the TRICARE Overseas Program contractor, International SOS, to ensure your visit is cashless and claimless.

If you travel or return to the United States while on terminal leave, you should contact International SOS for authorization to a 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.

Last Updated 7/30/2013