Using TRICARE For Life

Follow these guidelines to get care when traveling.

If Traveling in the United States & U.S. Territories

  • Go to 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 for care. >>Find a Doctor
  • To find a Medicare provider, search the provider directory or call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227.
  • Show your Medicare card and your uniformed services identification card.
  • If you live overseas and you're traveling to the U.S., TRICARE is the second payer after Medicare
    • Medicare pays its portion
    • Medicare fowards the claim to TRICARE
    • TRICARE pays its portion
    • You pay nothing out-of-pocket for services covered by Medicare and TRICARE

If Traveling in All Other Overseas Areas

  • You can visit any overseas provider. To find a provider:
  • Medicare doesn't cover health care outside of the U.S. or U.S. Territories, so TRICARE is the primary payer.
    • You're responsible for the applicable TRICARE deductible and cost shares.
    • Ask the provider for an itemized bill and be sure to keep your receipt as proof of payment.
    • You may need to pay up front a file a claim with the overseas claims processor for reimbursement

  • Contact International SOS in the area where you are traveling for assistance.

Need Prescriptions When Traveling?

We recommend that you get your prescriptions filled before you travel, but if you need a prescription filled while traveling you can:

  • Fill the prescription at the military pharmacy if one is nearby.
    • Call the pharmacy first to see if they stock your prescription
  • Find the closest network pharmacy.
    • Available in the U.S. and U.S. Territories
    • If a network pharmacy is not available, visit a non-network pharmacy.
  • The home delivery option is not recommended for a prescription you need right away, but 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.

Last Updated 8/17/2023