VA WALK IN SERVICES

Today, the Department announced that on April 1, 2014, administrative walk-in services will no longer be available at TRICARE Service Centers (TSC) in the United States. Tricare Service Centers do not provide treatment to patients, but rather administrative services only. This change will not in any way affect TRICARE eligibility or the delivery of healthcare services to TRICARE beneficiaries. TRICARE service centers overseas are not affected. The majority of customer service visits to TSCs concern billing, enrollment, changing a Primary Care Manager (PCM), general information on benefits and plans, or referrals. All of the walk-in services currently provided at TSCs can be delivered by existing toll-free call centers or multiple Internet and mobile application sites. TSCs cost more than $50.0 million per year to operate and maintain. Over the next five years, the $250 million saved will allow TRICARE to invest in more important healthcare services for our military members, eligible veterans and their families.

To ensure TRICARE beneficiaries are aware of this change, the Defense Health Agency has distributed a variety of educational materials to Military Treatment Facilities, TSCs and DoD ID card centers, as well as through Explanation of Benefits mailings and newsletters to beneficiaries. Click on the embedded link below to read the full DoD article: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=121473

More information may be found online at: www.tricare.mil/tsc. As always, please send me any questions you have and I will work with our subject matter experts to provide answers. Thank you for all you continue to do to support our military members, veterans and their families.