TRICARE Louisiana: Barksdale AFB & East Region Guide | TRICARE.com

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## TRICARE in Louisiana Louisiana is part of the **TRICARE East Region**. Comprehensive health coverage for military members in the state is managed by **Humana Military**, the regional contractor. Families stationed at installations like Barksdale Air Force Base have access to a robust network of military treatment facilities (MTFs) and civilian providers across the state’s major metropolitan areas.

## Major military installations Louisiana is home to several high-tempo military missions across multiple branches:

* **Barksdale Air Force Base:** Home to the 2nd Bomb Wing (Air Force Global Strike Command), located in Bossier City. * **Fort Johnson (formerly Fort Polk):** Home to the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), located near Leesville. * **Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans:** Located in Belle Chasse. * **Coast Guard Base New Orleans:** Located in New Orleans. * **Louisiana National Guard (Camp Beauregard):** Located in Pineville.

## Plans available in Louisiana Eligible beneficiaries in Louisiana can choose from several plans depending on their status (Active Duty, National Guard/Reserve, or Retired):

| Plan Type | Eligibility/Description | | :--- | :--- | | **TRICARE Prime** | Managed care option for ADSMs and their families (primarily near Barksdale and Fort Johnson). | | **TRICARE Select** | PPO-style plan with more flexibility to choose doctors; no referrals required for most services. | | **TRICARE Reserve Select** | Premium-based plan for qualified Selected Reserve members. | | **TRICARE Retired Reserve** | Premium-based plan for retired National Guard/Reserve members under age 60. | | **TRICARE For Life** | Secondary coverage to Medicare for military retirees and spouses (65+). | | **TRICARE Young Adult** | Coverage for adult children (ages 21–26) not eligible for their own employer plans. |

## Finding care in Louisiana Finding a doctor involves choosing between a Military Treatment Facility (MTF) or a civilian network provider.

* **At Barksdale AFB:** The **2nd Medical Group** provides outpatient services, pediatrics, and flight medicine. Most Prime enrollees at Barksdale will be assigned a Primary Care Manager (PCM) at this facility. * **At Fort Johnson:** The **Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital (BJACH)** serves the surrounding Army community. * **Civilian Providers:** To find specialists or doctors off-base in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, or Shreveport, use the **Humana Military East Region Provider Directory**. * **Telehealth:** Humana Military offers robust telehealth options for Louisiana residents, including Doctor on Demand and other virtual urgent care platforms, which are particularly useful for those living in rural parishes.

Common questions for Louisiana beneficiaries

### Is there a US Family Health Plan (USFHP) option in Louisiana? No. While some states have the USFHP (a TRICARE Prime option offered through private non-profit healthcare systems), it is not currently available in Louisiana. Residents must use TRICARE Prime or Select.

### What happens if I am PCSing from a West Region base to Barksdale AFB? Since Louisiana is in the East Region, you must transition your enrollment from **TriWest Healthcare Alliance** (the West contractor) to **Humana Military** (the East contractor). You can do this via the Beneficiary Web Enrollment (BWE) portal or by calling Humana Military directly once you arrive in Bossier City.

### How does TRICARE work with Louisiana Medicaid? By law, TRICARE is always the secondary payer to most other health insurance plans, but it is the primary payer to Medicaid. If you are eligible for both, TRICARE pays first and Medicaid pays last.

## Sources 1. **TRICARE East Region Contractor:** [HumanaMilitary.com](https://www.humanamilitary.com) 2. **Official TRICARE Plan Finder:** [TRICARE.mil/Plans/Eligibility](https://www.tricare.mil/plans/eligibility) 3. **2nd Medical Group (Barksdale):** [barksdale.tricare.mil](https://barksdale.tricare.mil) 4. **Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital:** [bayne-jones.tricare.mil](https://bayne-jones.tricare.mil)