TRICARE During and After a Disaster

TRICARE and Health Net Federal Services, LLC (HNFS) are ready to assist should a natural disaster occur. Follow these guidelines in the event of a natural disaster.

If you have to close your office during a disaster, please contact HNFS to let us know as soon as you can. When you return to your practice, please call us to let us know you have reopened. This information will enable HNFS to keep the Network Provider Directory current and redirect beneficiaries to a different TRICARE-authorized provider, ensuring beneficiaries get the care they need.

In an emergency, all TRICARE beneficiaries are instructed to call 911 or visit the nearest hospital emergency room.

How beneficiaries access medical care during and after a disaster depends on the TRICARE program option they have. These rules also apply to displaced TRICARE beneficiaries who may have relocated to a new area and are now trying to get health care from a new provider. Click on the links below to read about different plans and their different care requirements.

Beneficiaries who have been evacuated from their home and need to find a TRICARE network provider in a new area can use the Network Provider Directory. The provider directory will provide a list of network providers in the beneficiary's area. Beneficiaries may also contact HNFS for assistance locating a provider.

TRICARE recognizes in the case of a disaster, beneficiaries may not have access to prescriptions or may not be able to refill prescriptions as they normally would.

TRICARE and its pharmacy contractor, Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI), may allow beneficiaries to refill their prescriptions ahead of schedule at one of more than 50,000 TRICARE retail pharmacies.

If using the TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery, beneficiaries who have relocated should contact ESI to update their mailing address. For more information about access to prescription medications, contact ESI at the telephone numbers listed under "pharmacy benefits" below.

Throughout an emergency, disaster or evacuation, check this website or contact HNFS for updates on TRICARE health care benefits and access to care. 

Visit TRICARE's website to learn more on how to prepare, sign up for disaster alerts and accessing care during an emergency.

The National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) consists of several response teams, including the Disaster Medical Assistant Team (DMAT), National Nurse Response Team (NNRT), National Pharmacy Response Team (NPRT), Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) and National Veterinary Response Team (NVRT).

Each team has specific types of specialists needed to fill vacancies on the team. Response team positions have prerequisite training requirements that must be met before individuals can apply. If accepted, individuals become intermittent part-time Federal employees upon deployment on a mission.

For more information about NDMS, visit the NDMS website.

Federal Coordinating Centers (FCCs) recruit hospitals and maintain local non-Federal hospital participation in the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). They also coordinate exercise development and emergency plans with participating hospitals and other local authorities in order to develop streamlined patient reception, transportation and communication plans; and during system activation, coordinate the reception and distribution of patients being evacuated to the area. 

Email ndms@hhs.gov for more information about how your facility can participate.