About TMA
The TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) is a field activity of the Undersecretary
of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and was formally established under Department
of Defense (DoD) Directive 5136.12 on May 31, 2001.
Since February 1998, TMA leadership has managed the TRICARE health care program
for active duty members and their families, retired service members and their families,
National Guard/Reserve members and their families, survivors and others entitled
to DoD medical care.
This directive is the TMA Charter and solidifies TMA's mission, responsibilities,
functions, relationships, authorities and organizational structure. In prior DoD
Directive 5136.1 and in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS),
references to the "Office of CHAMPUS" are now understood to be "TMA." As a chartered
organization, the TMA will continue to operate under the authority of the Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs.
TMA Organization
TMA has operational offices located in Falls Church, Virginia and Aurora, Colorado.
Additionally, TMA is organized into six geographic health service regions, each
with its own TRICARE Regional Office and Regional Director. The overseas regions
are referred to as "areas." Each region/area:
- Provides oversight of regional operations and health plan administration at the
regional level;
- Manages the contracts with regional contractors;
- Supports military treatment facility (MTF) Commanders;
- Develops business plans for non-MTF areas (e.g. remote areas); and
- Funds regional initiatives to optimize and improve delivery of health care.
TMA has partnered with regional contractors in the three U.S regions to provide
health care services and support to beneficiaries. The TRICARE regional contractors
assist the TRICARE Regional Offices and military treatment facility commanders in
operating a world-class health benefit. The regional contractors do not provide
retail pharmacy, dental or TRICARE For Life claims processing services. These services
are provided by other contractors. The three overseas areas are supported by TRICARE
Area Offices. (TAOs). TAOs, in collaboration with military treatment facility commanders,
are responsible for the development and execution of an integrated plan for the
delivery of health care within each overseas area.
TRICARE North Region
The North Region includes Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa (Rock Island area), Kentucky (except Fort Campbell), Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri (St. Louis Area), New Hampshire, New Jersey, New
York, North Carolina, Ohio Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia,
and Wisconsin.
TRICARE South Region
The South Region includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas (excluding the El Paso area) and Fort
Campbell, Kentucky.
TRICARE West Region
The TRICARE West Region includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii,
Idaho, Iowa (excluding Rock Island Arsenal area), Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri (except
the St. Louis area), Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon,
South Dakota, Texas (the southwestern corner, including El Paso), Utah, Washington
and Wyoming.
TRICARE Eurasia-Africa Area
The TRICARE Eurasia-Africa area is managed by the TAO Eurasia-Africa located at
Sembach Air Base in Germany, and includes the European and African continents, all
Middle Eastern countries, Pakistan, Russia and several former Soviet Republics including
the Baltic States, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
TRICARE Latin America and Canada (TLAC) Area
The TLAC area is managed by the TAO TLAC located at San Antonio, Texas. TLAC includes
Central and South America, the Caribbean Basin, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Virgin
Islands.
TRICARE Pacific Area
The TRICARE Pacific area is managed by the TAO Pacific located at Camp Lester in
Okinawa, Japan, and includes Guam, Japan, Korea, Asia, New Zealand, India and Western
Pacific remote countries.