TRICARE Louisiana: Plans, Providers, and Base Guides | TRICARE.com

*Disclaimer: TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not the official TRICARE program or the Department of Defense. For official policy and the most current data, visit TRICARE.mil.*

## TRICARE in Louisiana Louisiana is part of the **TRICARE East Region**. Comprehensive health care services for military members and their families in the state are managed by **Humana Military**, the current regional contractor. While some states have shifted regions under recent contract updates, Louisiana remains firmly in the East, though users should be aware that the neighboring West Region is now managed by TriWest Healthcare Alliance as of 2025.

## Major military installations Louisiana is home to several critical military hubs, providing a high density of military treatment facilities (MTFs) in certain regions:

* **Barksdale Air Force Base** (Air Force) – Bossier City * **Fort Johnson** (formerly Fort Polk; Army) – Leesville * **Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans** (Navy/Joint) – Belle Chasse * **Marine Corps Reserve Forces Command** (Marines) – New Orleans * **Integrated Support Center New Orleans** (Coast Guard) – New Orleans

## Plans available in Louisiana Beneficiaries in Louisiana have access to the standard suite of TRICARE plans, depending on their service status and location.

| Plan | Best For | | :--- | :--- | | **TRICARE Prime** | Active duty and families near bases (Barksdale, Fort Johnson). Uses MTFs as primary care. | | **TRICARE Select** | Those who want to use civilian providers and don't mind higher out-of-pocket costs (2026 rates vary by Group A/B). | | **TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS)** | Qualified Selected Reserve members and their families. | | **TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR)** | Retired Reserve members under age 60. | | **TRICARE For Life (TFL)** | Dual-eligible retirees with Medicare Part A and B. New Orleans and Shreveport have high TFL enrollment. | | **TRICARE Young Adult** | Adult children (ages 21–26) who are not eligible for their own employer plans. |

*Note: The US Family Health Plan (USFHP) is not currently available in Louisiana.*

## Finding care in Louisiana Because Louisiana is in the East Region, all network provider searches should be conducted through the **Humana Military Provider Directory**.

* **Network vs. Non-Network:** In metropolitan areas like New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport, there is a deep network of civilian providers. In rural parishes, you may need to use non-network providers; however, these will result in higher cost-shares and potentially higher deductibles for TRICARE Select users. * **MTF Access:** If you are enrolled in TRICARE Prime and live within a Prime Service Area (PSA)—typically a 40-mile radius around Barksdale AFB or Fort Johnson—your primary care will likely be at the base clinic. * **Telehealth:** Humana Military offers robust telehealth options for Louisiana residents, which is particularly useful for those in the northern or central rural parishes where specialist access may be limited.

Common questions for Louisiana beneficiaries

**What happens if I am PCSing from Louisiana to a West Region state like Texas?** Since Texas is in the West Region (managed by TriWest), you must contact Humana Military to de-enroll and then contact TriWest Healthcare Alliance to enroll in your new region once you arrive at your new duty station. Your coverage does not automatically "follow" you across the regional border without an enrollment action.

**Does TRICARE coordinate with Louisiana Medicaid (Healthy Louisiana)?** Yes. By law, TRICARE is the primary payer and Medicaid is the payer of last resort. If you are eligible for both, your providers must bill TRICARE first.

**Are there coastal considerations for New Orleans residents?** In the event of a mandatory evacuation or a Governor-declared state of emergency (common during hurricane season), TRICARE may temporarily waive referral requirements for urgent care to ensure displaced families can receive medical attention wherever they are located.

## Sources * TRICARE East Region – Humana Military: [humanamilitary.com](https://www.humanamilitary.com) * Barksdale Air Force Base 2nd Medical Group: [barksdale.af.mil](https://barksdale.tricare.mil/) * Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital (Fort Johnson): [polk.tricare.mil](https://bayne-jones.tricare.mil/) * Official TRICARE Plan Finder: [tricare.mil/plans](https://www.tricare.mil/plans)