What is TRICARE?

Smiling couple and childTRICARE is the uniformed services health care program for active duty service members (ADSM), active duty family members (ADFM), National Guard and Reserve members and their family members, retirees and retiree family members, survivors, and certain former spouses worldwide.

TriWest Healthcare Alliance (TriWest) holds the contract to administer the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) 26-state TRICARE West Region with health care delivery (dates of service) scheduled to begin January 2025.

TRICARE brings together the health care resources of the Military Health System with a network of civilian health care professionals, institutions, pharmacies, and suppliers to foster, protect, sustain, and restore health for those entrusted to their care.

Join the TriWest Provider Network

To prepare for health care delivery under TRICARE in 2025, TriWest is now accepting interest forms from providers who wish to join the TriWest network.

  • Go to JoinOurNetwork.TriWest.com.
  • Fill out the Provider Contract Request web form. You must include your Federal Tax ID on the form.
  • Allow the TriWest team time to process requests and then you will be contacted by a TriWest provider relations representatives.

TriWest has started the process of notifying interested providers not currently in our network and current network providers about their contract status. Once your contract is fully processed, you will receive a copy of your executed agreement.

Have contract questions? Check out the Provider Contracting Q&A section.

TriWest’s provider contracting team looks forward to working with you.

TRICARE West Region Coverage Area

Map showing United States highlighting states west of Mississippi River, plus Wisconsin, Illinois, Alaska, and HawaiiTriWest is building a network of providers for the Department of Defense’s TRICARE West Region. Health care delivery will start on January 1, 2025. The new TRICARE West Region covers 26 states: Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

TriWest Will Manage the TRICARE West Region Contract

While the names sound alike, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, TRICARE West Region, and TRICARE are NOT the same. Read below to learn the key differences.

Infographic describing the differences between TriWest, TRICARE West Region, and TRICARE. Described under heading Accessible Text for What's the Difference Graphic.

 

 

Accessible Text for What's the Difference Graphic

TRICARE – TRICARE West – TriWest Healthcare Alliance

TRICARE

The Health Plan

  • Department of Defense (DOD) health care program overseen by Defense Health Agency (DHA)
  • Brings together military and civilian health care professionals
  • Includes 11 health plan options
  • For active duty, National Guard and Reserve, retirees, and their family members; survivors; and certain former spouses

TRICARE West

The Region

  • Includes 26 states*
  • One of two TRICARE regions in the United States
  • TriWest Healthcare Alliance is the TRICARE West regional contractor*

TriWest Healthcare Alliance

The Company

  • Regional contractor for TRICARE West Region*
  • Third-party administrator for Department of Veterans Affairs Community Care Network Regions 4 and 5
  • One purpose: Serving the health care needs of military and Veteran communities

*effective January 1, 2025