TRICARE has recently expanded their services for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders. These changes have been made to give beneficiaries more options for their care and affect the following:
- Psychiatric residential treatment center care for children
- Emergency and non-emergency inpatient hospitalization
- Partial hospitalization
- Increased inpatient Substance Abuse Disorder treatment options
- Outpatient and office-based care for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders
- Reduced Limitations on Number of Treatments
- Lower Copayments and Cost-Shares
- New TRICARE-Authorized Provider Options
“We are hopeful the new regulations will increase the number of Tricare providers and give families more options for military kids who need inpatient behavioral health treatment,” said Karen Ruedisueli, deputy director of government relations for the National Military Family Association. “We regularly hear from families who struggle to find Tricare inpatient facilities for their children and adolescents. Some of them have had to send their kids out of state for care. Others have paid out of pocket to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars.”
For more information please check out the TRICARE Mental Health Care website (external link) or check out this TRICARE Mental Health Care Services Fact Sheet. (external link)
References
Jowers, Karen. “Tricare Expands Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Opioid Treatment Options.” Army Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 July 2017.
For a PDF version of this document, please contact us at thebranch@wapave.org