355th Medical Group Davis Monthan AFB: TRICARE Guide | TRICARE.com

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## Quick answer The 355th Medical Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base serves as the primary military treatment facility (MTF) for the Tucson, Arizona area. It provides outpatient primary care, pharmacy, and specialty services to active duty members, their families, and retirees enrolled in **TRICARE Prime**. Because it is a clinic-model facility rather than a full hospital, emergency services and inpatient care are referred to civilian network partners managed by TriWest Healthcare Alliance.

## In detail The 355th Medical Group operates the Desert Inn Clinic and several specialized flight medicine facilities. As of January 1, 2025, Davis-Monthan falls under the **TRICARE West Region**, managed by TriWest Healthcare Alliance.

### Services Available While the 355th Medical Group is a robust outpatient facility, it does not have an Emergency Room. Services include: * **Family Practice & Pediatrics:** Primary care for all TRICARE Prime enrollees. * **Flight Medicine:** Specialized care for the 355th Wing and tenant units. * **Pharmacy:** Full-service pharmacy for new prescriptions and refills. * **Ancillary Services:** Laboratory, Radiology (X-ray/Ultrasound), and Physical Therapy. * **Mental Health:** Support for active duty and some dependent services.

### Enrollment and Access to Care To receive primary care at Davis-Monthan AFB, beneficiaries must be enrolled in **TRICARE Prime** and assigned a Primary Care Manager (PCM) at the facility.

* **TRICARE Select:** Beneficiaries using TRICARE Select generally see civilian providers in the Tucson community but may use the Davis-Monthan pharmacy for $0 copays on most medications. * **Referrals:** If a service is not available at the 355th MG (such as surgery or labor and delivery), your PCM will issue a referral to a civilian provider in the TriWest network.

### 2026 Costs and Fees Costs for care at the 355th Medical Group depend on your beneficiary status: * **Active Duty:** $0 for all care. * **TRICARE Prime (Active Duty Family Members):** $0 for all care received at the MTF or through an authorized referral. * **TRICARE Prime (Retirees/Families):** $0 for appointments within the MTF; small copays apply (e.g., ~$25–$35 for specialty care in the network in 2026). * **Pharmacy:** $0 for all beneficiaries when picking up prescriptions directly from the 355th MG Pharmacy.

## Who this applies to * **Active Duty Service Members:** Required to enroll and receive all primary care at the 355th Medical Group. * **Active Duty Family Members (ADFM):** Can choose to enroll in TRICARE Prime (DMFB as PCM) or TRICARE Select (using Tucson civilian doctors). * **Retirees and their Families:** May enroll in TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select; those under age 65 can seek "Space Available" care if not enrolled, though this is rare due to high demand. * **TRICARE For Life (TFL) Users:** Usually see civilian Medicare providers but can utilize the base pharmacy for prescriptions.

Common scenarios

**Scenario 1: Active Duty Refill** An Airman stationed at Davis-Monthan needs a maintenance medication. By using the 355th Medical Group Pharmacy, the Airman pays **$0 (2026 rates)**. If they were to use a retail pharmacy like CVS, they would pay a copay (typically $16–$48 depending on the drug tier).

**Scenario 2: Retiree Specialty Referral** A retired CMSgt enrolled in TRICARE Prime at Davis-Monthan needs a dermatology consult. Because the 355th MG does not have an on-staff dermatologist, the PCM issues a referral. The CMSgt sees a TriWest network provider in Tucson and pays a **$36 copay (estimated 2026 Group A rate)** for the visit.

**Scenario 3: Emergency Care** A dependent child at Davis-Monthan base housing suffers a broken arm at 9:00 PM. Since the 355th Medical Group has no ER, the family goes to a local Tucson hospital (e.g., Banner - University Medical Center). For TRICARE Prime enrollees, this emergency visit is covered with **$0 out-of-pocket costs**, provided it meets the definition of a true emergency.

## Related terms * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance:** The TRICARE West Region contractor responsible for the provider network in Arizona as of 2025. * **PCM (Primary Care Manager):** The doctor or clinic responsible for your basic healthcare and for issuing referrals. * **MTF (Military Treatment Facility):** A clinic or hospital located on a military installation. * **Space-Available Care:** Care provided to non-enrolled beneficiaries (like retirees on Select) only when the clinic has open slots. * **T-5 Contract:** The 2025/2026 regional contract transition that moved West Region management to TriWest.

## Sources 1. **TRICARE.mil - Davis-Monthan Profile:** https://www.tricare.mil/MTF/davismonthan 2. **355th Medical Group Official Site:** https://davismonthan.tricare.mil/ 3. **TriWest Healthcare Alliance:** https://www.triwest.com/ 4. **Express Scripts TRICARE Pharmacy:** https://militaryrx.express-scripts.com/