Relocating overseas can be very stressful. Concerns about housing, schools, costs, and where to find health care.

Fortunately you can take health care coverage off your list because active duty military families who live overseas are covered by TRICARE, in fact they can choose how to get their health care under TRICARE. They have two options: TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Standard. Military retirees and their families who live overseas cannot enroll in TRICARE Prime, but they can use TRICARE Standard. The following will assist you in determining what option is your best choice:

TRICARE Prime

Under TRICARE Prime, active duty eligible families who live overseas must enroll as they would stateside. Enrollment in TRICARE Prime for active duty families overseas is not automatic. Military sponsors must take action to enroll their families in Prime. Active duty families will pay no enrollment fees, cost shares, or deductibles while overseas.

Prime enrollees will have access to both military medical facilities and to networks of local civilian providers put together by the commanders of military medical facilities. The Primary Care Manager (PCM) will provide most care. When necessary, beneficiaries will have access to specialized care recommended by the PCM. Upon referral by the PCM, regional military service centers will provide Prime beneficiaries authorization for care not provided by the PCM.


The extent of provider networks will depend on the area. However, even if a network is not available in a given location, enrolled active duty families will still have their cost shares and deductibles waived when authorized by the regional military service center upon a PCM’s referral. If an overseas family member who is enrolled in Prime uses a non-network provider of care without getting an advance authorization from the regional military service center, cost shares and deductibles will apply. In addition, there will be point-of-service cost-shares and deductibles.

Overseas TRICARE Prime enrollees who receive civilian care while they are traveling back in the U.S. will pay the same copayments that other Prime enrollees in the U.S. pay. When receiving care in the U.S., they will not need advance authorization for urgent or emergency care.

Overseas Prime enrollees traveling in the U.S. will have the same priority for available appointments at military medical facilities as Prime enrollees who live near these facilities. Persons who are enrolled in TRICARE Prime overseas may call, toll-free, 1-888-777-8343 for assistance during normal business hours.

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TRICARE Standard

TRICARE Standard is available to overseas families who choose not to enroll in Prime. Benefits and procedures are the same as in the U.S. Information about TRICARE Standard in overseas areas is also available from Health Benefits Advisers at military medical facilities.

Other TRICARE Programs

TRICARE has many other programs including TRICARE for Life, TRICARE Retiree Dental, etc... For more information see our TRICARE section, or click on the links below to learn more about:

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