Urgent Care
Urgent care is care you need for a nonemergency illness or injury. You need urgent care treatment within 24 hours, and you shouldn’t have to travel more than 30 minutes for the care. You typically need urgent care to treat a condition that:
- Doesn’t threaten life, limb or eyesight
- Needs attention before it becomes a serious risk to health
Examples may include things like a high fever or sprained ankle.
MHS Nurse Advice Line
If it’s after hours or you’re not sure if you need to see a doctor, call the MHS Nurse Advice Line 24/7. Call 800-TRICARE (874-2273) and choose option 1 to talk to a registered nurse who can:
Answer your urgent care questions - Give you health care advice
- Help you find a doctor
- Schedule next-day appointments at military hospitals and clinics
Who can use the MHS Nurse Advice Line?
The MHS Nurse Advice Line is available to all TRICARE beneficiaries in the U.S., except those enrolled in the US Family Health Plan.
Do you live overseas? You can call the MHS Nurse Advice Line for health care advice when traveling in the U.S., but you must coordinate care with your Overseas Regional Call Center.
How do I get urgent care if I live in the U.S?
TRICARE Prime PlansTRICARE Prime plans include: TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Prime Remote, TRICARE Prime Overseas, TRICARE Prime Remote Overseas and TRICARE Young Adult-Prime (Except the U.S. Family Health Plan)
| If you’re... | To get urgent care... |
|---|---|
| An active duty service member living in a TRICARE Prime Service Area1 | You should seek care at a military hospital or clinic when and where available. Or you can contact the MHS Nurse Advice Line for assistance. |
|
Active duty service member enrolled in TRICARE Prime Remote |
You can get urgent care from any TRICARE-authorized urgent care center or network provider. |
| An active duty family member |
You don’t need a referral. |
|
A retiree or retiree family member |
You can get urgent care from any TRICARE-authorized urgent care center or network provider.1 |
1 Family members and retirees who seek urgent care from a non-network provider outside of a TRICARE authorized urgent care center will pay point-of-service option cost-shares.
US Family Health Plan
Are you enrolled in the US Family Health Plan? Visit your designated provider’s website to learn how to get urgent care.
TRICARE Select and All Other TRICARE Plans
| If you’re... | To get urgent care... |
|---|---|
|
An active duty family member
|
You don’t need a referral. |
| A retiree or retiree family member |
You can get urgent care from any TRICARE-authorized urgent care center or network provider. You’ll pay network or non-network copayments or cost-shares, depending on the type of provider you see. |
How do I get urgent care if I live or travel overseas?
| If you’re enrolled in... | To get urgent care... |
|---|---|
|
A TRICARE plan stateside
|
You don’t need a referral to get urgent care when traveling overseas. |
| A TRICARE overseas plan |
Overseas: You don’t need a referral. However, to ensure your urgent care visit is cashless and claimless, you should get pre-authorization from the TRICARE overseas contractor. Otherwise, you may have to pay the provider up front and file a claim for reimbursement later. Stateside while traveling: You don’t need a referral. You can get urgent care from any TRICARE-authorized urgent care center or network provider.2, 3 |
2 If you’re enrolled in a TRICARE Prime plan and seek urgent care from a non-network provider outside of a TRICARE-authorized urgent care center, you’ll have to pay point-of-service option cost-shares.
3 Active duty service members must follow up with their PCM when they get care outside of a military hospital or clinic, in accordance with DOD and service regulations.
This list of covered services is not all inclusive. TRICARE covers services that are medically necessaryTo be medically necessary means it is appropriate, reasonable, and adequate for your condition. and considered proven. There are special rules or limits on certain services, and some services are excluded.
Last Updated 11/20/2024