How do I choose or change my TRICARE primary care manager (PCM)?

Direct answer: Pick a primary care manager from your region's provider directory, call to confirm the provider is taking new patients, then request the change through milConnect, by phone with your regional contractor, or by mailing the PCM change form. TRICARE says you may change your PCM at any time.

Applies to: TRICARE Prime · All regions

Details

Who can be your PCM

TRICARE describes a primary care manager as a military provider or, if a military provider is not available, a civilian network provider. If you want a civilian PCM, the provider has to be in the TRICARE network.

Find one

Search the provider directory for your region: East, West, or overseas. TRICARE’s advice is to call the provider first and ask whether they are accepting new patients.

Ask for the change

• Online: log in to milConnect.
• By phone: call your regional contractor. TRICARE lists Humana Military for the East Region at 800-444-5445 and TriWest Healthcare Alliance for the West Region at 888-874-9378 (888-TRIWEST).
• By mail: send the TRICARE Prime Enrollment, Disenrollment, and PCM Change Form (DD Form 2876) to your regional contractor with your new PCM’s name and address. You only need to complete the part of the form about the PCM change.

After you ask

TRICARE says a request may take up to six days to confirm, and a military hospital or clinic can approve or deny a request for one of its providers. You can check the status by logging in to milConnect. Sometimes a PCM changes without any action from you, for example when a military doctor changes duty station or retires.

Your PCM assignment is tied to your DEERS record, so keep your address current there. TRICARE’s Find or Change My PCM page has the current forms and links.

What to do next

Confirm this with your Primary Care Manager or regional contractor before scheduling — rules can vary by region and by service.