Write down the plan and beneficiary status
Begin with the current plan name, the person receiving care, the move date, and the destination. TRICARE's moving page directs beneficiaries to plan-specific instructions. Its guidance says to update personal information in DEERS after the move and confirm enrollment at the new duty station.
Ask the regional contractor which enrollment action applies to your family and when it should be completed. Keep the answer with the move paperwork. Do not treat a changed mailing address, a new primary care manager, and a specialist appointment as a single completed task.
Ask about the receiving referral before leaving
TRICARE says new referrals for the next home station can be requested before a PCS through the primary care manager at a military facility or the regional contractor. For an active duty family member in TRICARE Prime moving between regions, its separate guidance says the sponsor can begin the family's enrollment transfer when orders are received.
Ask what this means for the existing mental health referral: whether it can be used, needs an update, or requires a new request. Record the answer and the team responsible. Do not assume the previous provider name or authorization applies to the receiving practice.
Sources: TRICARE: Moving and PCS care checklist; TRICARE: Moving with Prime as an active duty family member
Match the paperwork to the intended appointment
Use a referral note containing the receiving clinician or practice, service requested, location, reference number, and any dates or limits shown. Ask the contractor to explain anything missing or inconsistent before the visit.
TRICARE's nonemergency mental health guidance makes referral and authorization requirements dependent on the plan and situation, with specific requirements for active duty members using network care. Ask about the exact beneficiary and service. An answer about a spouse's routine counseling visit may not answer a service member's question.
Sources: TRICARE: Emergency and nonemergency mental health care
Confirm what the receiving practice has accepted
Contact the proposed practice with the exact plan and referral information. Ask whether the named clinician is an appropriate participating provider for that arrangement, whether appointments are available, and how the office receives referral or authorization documents.
Request the office's record-transfer instructions separately. A referral may identify the requested service without completing the clinical records handoff. Keep a task for confirming that the receiving office has the material it asked for. A website describing military care does not establish a practice's participation in your specific plan.
Sources: TRICARE: Moving and PCS care checklist; TRICARE: Emergency and nonemergency mental health care
Close the loop after arrival
After the move, review the enrollment response, referral status, and appointment confirmation together. If a contractor, address, or provider changed while you were traveling, ask the relevant contact to recheck the outstanding item.
Use one final call note: 'My appointment is on [date], with [provider], under [plan]. What remains incomplete?' If care coordination is already involved, give that team the same note. TRICARE's moving guidance describes contractor help with arranging civilian-network care for patients in active case management; ask the team handling your case what it needs.
Your next-step checklist
- Record the patient's plan, status, move date, and destination.
- Ask the PCM or contractor about the receiving referral before the move.
- Confirm DEERS and enrollment steps through TRICARE.
- Match provider, service, and dates to any referral or authorization.
- Confirm the receiving practice's appointment and records requirements.
Keep personal, insurance and medical information in the appropriate organization’s approved secure channel.
Common questions
Will my old mental health referral automatically cover the new practice?
Ask the contractor to review the specific referral and receiving provider. TRICARE provides a process for requesting referrals before a PCS, but that does not establish that a particular existing authorization transfers unchanged.
Do spouses and active duty members follow the same referral rules?
Not necessarily. TRICARE's mental health guidance distinguishes requirements by beneficiary status and situation. Use the exact plan and patient status when asking the contractor, and confirm the answer for the intended service.
Sources: TRICARE: Emergency and nonemergency mental health care
Sources and verification
The sources below support the administrative information in this guide. Follow the responsible organization’s current instructions when requirements, forms or contact routes change.