DD Form 2527 Guide: TRICARE Third Party Liability
## Quick answer DD Form 2527 (Statement of Personal Injury – Possible Third Party Liability) is a mandatory document used by TRICARE to determine if a third party (like an insurance company or another person) is legally responsible for paying your medical bills. If you receive care for an injury or illness that might have been caused by an accident—such as a car crash, slip and fall, or medical malpractice—TRICARE will send you this form to ensure the government is reimbursed for costs that someone else should pay.
*Note: TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not the official TRICARE program. For official policy and forms, visit TRICARE.mil.*
## In detail When TRICARE's claims processors (Humana Military in the East or TriWest in the West) receive a medical claim with a diagnosis code indicating an injury (ICD-10 codes in the S and T ranges), they are legally required to investigate the cause under the **Federal Medical Care Recovery Act**.
### Purpose of the Form The government uses DD Form 2527 to identify "Third Party Liability" (TPL). This allows the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to seek reimbursement from liable parties or their insurance companies. Filing this form does not necessarily mean you are suing someone; it simply tells TRICARE who is responsible for the bill.
### What happens if you don't file it? If you receive DD Form 2527 in the mail and do not return it within 35 calendar days, TRICARE will likely: * **Deny the claims** associated with the injury. * **Recoup payments** already made to providers for that treatment. * Wait to process any future claims related to that specific injury until the form is on file.
### Breakdown of the Form * **Section I (Personal Information):** Identification of the injured party. * **Section II (Incident Details):** Date, time, and location of the accident. * **Section III (Type of Incident):** You must specify if it was a motor vehicle accident, a fall, a work-related injury (Workers' Comp), or a product liability issue. * **Section IV (Insurance Information):** Details regarding your auto insurance, the other driver's insurance, or homeowner’s insurance. * **Section V (Legal Action):** Information on whether you have hired an attorney or plan to file a lawsuit.
### Submission Process (2026 Guidelines) As of 2026, you can typically submit DD Form 2527 through: 1. **Online Portals:** The easiest method is via the Humana Military (East) or TriWest (West) secure member portals. 2. **Fax/Mail:** Using the contact information provided on the letter sent to you.
## Who this applies to * **TRICARE Prime and Select Beneficiaries:** Anyone (Active Duty, Retirees, or family members) who seeks civilian medical care for an injury. * **Accident Victims:** Individuals involved in car accidents, whether as a driver, passenger, or pedestrian. * **Premises Liability Victims:** People injured on commercial or private property (e.g., a "slip and fall" at a grocery store). * **Job-Related Injuries:** Beneficiaries whose injuries should be covered by Workers’ Compensation rather than TRICARE. * **Parents of Minor Children:** If a child is injured on a playground or at school, the sponsor must fill out the form on the child's behalf.
Common scenarios
### Scenario 1: The Fender Bender A TRICARE Select beneficiary in the East Region is rear-ended in May 2026. They go to an ER for whiplash, resulting in a **$2,400 bill**. Humana Military flags the claim because of the "neck sprain" diagnosis. The beneficiary receives DD Form 2527, lists the other driver’s GEICO policy, and returns it. TRICARE pays the bill but later recovers that $2,400 from GEICO.
### Scenario 2: The Grocery Store Slip A retiree in the West Region slips on a wet floor at a supermarket, breaking an ankle. Surgery costs **$12,000**. TriWest sends DD Form 2527. The retiree must document that the injury happened at a place of business. If the store’s liability insurance pays, TRICARE is reimbursed for the 2026 allowable charges it covered during the recovery period.
### Scenario 3: The "False Alarm" A child falls off a bike in their own driveway and needs stitches. TRICARE sends DD Form 2527 because it looks like a potential "accident." The parent fills out the form stating no third party was involved. TRICARE then processes the claim normally without seeking reimbursement from anyone else.
## Related terms * **Third Party Liability (TPL):** The legal obligation of an entity other than TRICARE to pay for medical expenses. * **Federal Medical Care Recovery Act:** The law that gives the U.S. government the right to recover the cost of medical care provided to a person who was injured by a third party. * **Subrogation:** The process by which an insurance company (or TRICARE) "steps into the shoes" of the beneficiary to sue or collect from the party at fault. * **ICD-10 Code:** International classification codes used by doctors; certain "injury" codes automatically trigger the mailing of Form 2527. * **T-5 Contract:** The current TRICARE regional contract (effective 2025) which designates TriWest as the West region manager.
## Sources * **TRICARE.mil - Third Party Liability:** https://www.tricare.mil/tpl * **Humana Military (East Contractor):** https://www.humanamilitary.com/ * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West Contractor):** https://www.triwest.com/ * **WHS Forms (DD2527 PDF):** https://www.esd.whs.mil/Directives/forms/dd2500_2999/DD2527/