How To Use TRICARE Urgent Care (2026 Guide) | TRICARE.com

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## Quick answer Most TRICARE beneficiaries can visit a TRICARE-authorized urgent care center without a referral, though Active Duty Service Members (ADSMs) must always obtain a referral or seek care at a military hospital. Most other plans, including TRICARE Prime and Select, allow unlimited urgent care visits at network facilities with no out-of-pocket costs or a small copay depending on your status.

Details

### Active Duty vs. All Others The rules for urgent care depend entirely on your status and your specific TRICARE plan.

* **Active Duty Service Members (ADSM):** You are **not** allowed to use civilian urgent care without a referral. If you have an urgent need after hours, you must call the Nurse Advice Line (NAL) at 1-800-TRICARE or contact your Primary Care Manager (PCM) for a referral. If you go without one, TRICARE may not pay the bill. * **TRICARE Prime (Family Members & Retirees):** You can visit any TRICARE-authorized network urgent care center without a referral. * **TRICARE Select / TRICARE Reserve Select:** You do not need a referral and can see any authorized provider, though using a network provider will significantly lower your out-of-pocket costs.

### Finding a Network Provider To avoid high costs, you must ensure the center is in-network for your region. As of 2026, the contractors are: * **East Region:** Humana Military * **West Region:** TriWest Healthcare Alliance * **Overseas:** International SOS (Note: Urgent care rules differ significantly overseas; usually, a referral is required for Prime beneficiaries).

### 2026 Costs and Copays Costs are determined by your "Group" (Group A joined before Jan 1, 2018; Group B joined on/after that date) and your beneficiary status.

* **Active Duty Family Members (Prime):** $0 copay at network urgent care (2026 rates). * **Retirees and Families (Prime):** Approximately $39 per visit (2026 rates). * **TRICARE Select (Retirees):** Varies by Group; typically a fixed copay around $30–$60 per visit at network providers. * **Point of Service (POS) Warning:** If you are a Prime beneficiary and see a **non-network** urgent care provider without a referral, you will be charged Point of Service fees, which include a high deductible and 50% cost-sharing.

### Urgent Care vs. Emergency Room If there is a threat to "life, limb, or eyesight," go to the nearest Emergency Room. You do not need a referral for the ER, regardless of your plan. However, using the ER for non-emergency issues (like a sore throat or minor rash) when an urgent care center is available may result in higher costs or claim denials for certain plans.

## Who this affects * **Active Duty Service Members:** Referral required. * **Active Duty Family Members:** No referral needed (Prime or Select). * **Retirees and their Families:** No referral needed (Prime or Select). * **TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) / TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR):** No referral needed. * **TRICARE For Life:** Generally uses Medicare rules; urgent care is covered, but Medicare is the primary payer.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [Urgent Care Overview](https://tricare.mil/CoveredServices/IsItCovered/UrgentCare) * **Humana Military (East):** [Provider Search and Urgent Care Rules](https://www.humanamilitary.com/) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West):** [West Region Portal](https://www.triwest.com/) * **TRICARE Nurse Advice Line:** [MHS Nurse Advice Line](https://mhsnurseadviceline.com/)