Prescription Drugs
TRICARE covers most prescription drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We can cover your prescription drugs under the pharmacy benefit or the medical benefit.
TRICARE Formulary
The TRICARE Formulary is a list of generic and brand name prescription drugs that we cover.
Search the TRICARE Formulary
The formulary has three tiers:
- Formulary-Generic
- Formulary-Brand Name
- Non-Formulary
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Watch this episode of TRICARE TV to learn more about the TRICARE Uniform Formulary process.
We review and update the TRICARE Formulary each quarter. After each review, some drugs may move from formulary to non-formulary status. You’ll get a letter from Express Scripts if you have a prescription for a drug that’s changing to non-formulary.
Drugs We Don't Cover
We don’t cover prescription drugs that aren’t necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of a covered illness. >>Learn More
What if the drug I need was just approved by the FDA?
Most of the time, newly-approved prescription drugs are available from network pharmacies and home delivery soon after they are available for sale. Exceptions include prescription drugs that are:
- Not covered by TRICARE
- Covered only by the medical benefit, but not the pharmacy benefit
- Not suitable for dispensing through the network or home delivery
The TRICARE Formulary is updated with newly-approved prescription drugs, as needed.
What drugs are covered by the medical benefit?
These are the drugs you get while you’re hospitalized or during an outpatient visit.