TRICARE Prime Remote

TRICARE Prime Remote is a managed care option available in remote areas in the United States. By law, you can only use TRICARE Prime Remote if both your (the sponsor's) home and work addresses are more than 50 miles (or one hour's drive time) from a military hospital or clinic.

• Check your home and work ZIP codes to see if you may qualify.
• Enrollment is required—no enrollment fees
• Meets or exceeds the requirements for minimum essential coverageBasic health care coverage that meets the Affordable Care Act requirement. If you don’t have coverage, you may have to pay a fee for each month you aren’t covered. under the Affordable Care Act.

If you're in a remote overseas location, you may be able to enroll in TRICARE Prime Remote Overseas.

Who can Participate?

The following beneficiaries who live and work in designated remote locations:

• Active duty service members
• ActivatedCalled or ordered to active duty service for more than 30 days in a row. Guard/Reserve members
• Family members who live with TRICARE Prime Remote-enrolled sponsors.
  • Note: If a Guard/Reserve sponsor is deployed, the family member(s) can stay enrolled as long as they don't move while their sponsor is deployed.
• Surviving family members of deceased active duty service members.
  • After three years (from the sponsor's death), TRICARE Prime Remote is no longer available to surviving spouses, but children may stay enrolled.

How it Works

• You'll get most care from your primary care manager (PCM)
  • You may have a network PCM, if available
  • If not, select 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. as your PCM.
• Your PCM:
  • Refers you to specialists for care he or she can't provide
  • Works with your regional contractor for referrals/authorization
  • Helps find a specialist in the network
  • Files claims for you

What You Pay

• No enrollment fees
• No out-of-pocket costs for any type of care as long as care is received from your PCM or with a referral.
• Care received without a referral is subject to point-of-service fees.

Is TRICARE Prime Remote Right for You?

TRICARE Prime Remote is only available to active duty service members (including activated Guard/Reserve members) and their families who live and work in designated remote locations.

• If you're on active duty, you have to enroll if you live and work in a remote area. 
• Family members can choose to enroll or use TRICARE Standard and Extra.
• TRICARE Prime Remote offers fewer out-of-pocket costs than TRICARE Standard and Extra, but less freedom of choice for providers.
• If you have other health insuranceHealth insurance you have in addition to TRICARE, such as Medicare or an employer-sponsored health insurance. TRICARE supplements don’t qualify as "other health insurance.", TRICARE Prime Remote might not be right for you.

How to Enroll—3 Options

1. Online via the Beneficiary Web Enrollment website
2. Call your regional contractor
   • North RegionConnecticut, 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.: 1-877-874-2273
   • South RegionAlabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas (excluding El Paso area), and Fort Campbell, Kentucky: 1-800-444-5445
   • West RegionAlaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa (excludes Rock Island arsenal area), Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri (except St. Louis area), Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas (southwestern corner including El Paso), Utah, Washington and Wyoming.: 1-877-988-9378
3. Mail the enrollment form to your regional contractor (mailing addresses on the form):
   • North Region Form
   • South Region Form
   • West Region Form

Once you have enrolled you can download a TRICARE wallet card to take to your appointments but you must also show your military ID as proof of coverage.

>>Visit the TRICARE Prime Remote Enrollment Page to Learn More