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TRICARE to end walk-in service

  • Published
  • Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Keeping up with the rapidly increasing number of TRICARE beneficiaries who most often turn to a laptop or cell phone when they have questions, walk in service at all TRICARE Service Centers (TSC) serving Air Force Global Strike Command bases will no longer be available as of April 1.

Patients still have a wide variety of secure, electronic customer service options available through www.tricare.mil. The new "I want to....." feature puts everything beneficiaries want to do online right on the front page of www.tricare.mil.

"The elimination of TSC walk-in services does not affect TRICARE benefits or health care delivery," Capt. John Gillard, TRICARE and patient administration flight commander at Barksdale Air Force Base's 2nd Medical Group, said. "Most of the traffic coming in to the TSC is for in-processing, enrollments and billing. With a phone or a computer, you'll be able to accomplish the same actions at your convenience."

When walk-in service ends April 1, beneficiaries who want get personal assistance can call 1-800-444-5445 for enrollment and benefit help. All health care, pharmacy, dental and claims contact information is located at www.tricare.mil/contactus. Beneficiaries can get 24/7 TRICARE benefit information atwww.tricare.mil, and make enrollment and primary care manager changes, and more online at www.tricare.mil/enrollment

Rather than driving to an installation TSC, TRICARE beneficiaries can even combine high-tech with low-tech by downloading health care forms online and sending them in the old fashion way, through the U.S. mail - at a cost of less than 50 cents.

Walk-in customer service is also the most expensive possible customer service option, according to a TRICARE pamphlet. By eliminating walk-in customer service at TSCs, the Department of Defense estimates savings of approximately $250 million over five years. The change does not affect TRICARE benefits or health care delivery.

Find out more at www.tricare.mil/TSC or call 1-800-444-5445.