TRICARE Line of Duty (LOD) Care for Guard & Reserve
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## Quick answer Line of Duty (LOD) care provides TRICARE coverage for National Guard or Reserve members who are injured or become ill while on active duty orders for 30 days or less. It ensures that the military, rather than the member's private insurance, pays for medical care specifically related to that service-connected injury or illness.
## Details When a Guard or Reserve member is on orders for 30 days or less (including drill weekends, annual training, or funeral honors duty), they are generally not eligible for full TRICARE Prime or Select benefits. However, if they are "in the line of duty"—meaning they suffer an injury, illness, or disease while performing or traveling to/from duty—the military is responsible for that specific medical condition.
### How LOD Care Works LOD care is not a "health plan" you enroll in; it is a status-based coverage. * **The LOD Determination:** Your unit commander must initiate an administrative process to verify the injury happened during duty. * **Authorization:** Once the LOD is established, care must be coordinated through the TRICARE regional contractor (Humana Military in the East or TriWest in the West). * **Cost:** There are **$0 out-of-pocket costs** for LOD-approved care for the service member. * **Provider Access:** You can receive care at a Military Medical Treatment Facility (MTF) or from a civilian provider, provided it is authorized by the Defense Health Agency (DHA) or the regional contractor.
### Coverage vs. TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) It is important to distinguish LOD care from TRICARE Reserve Select. * **TRS:** A premium-based plan you pay for (2026 rates: $53.80/month for individual; $255.24/month for family) that covers all health needs. * **LOD:** Covers *only* the specific injury or illness sustained during duty. If you have an LOD injury, you do not need to use your personal TRS or private employer insurance for those specific medical bills.
### Emergency Care If you have a life-threatening emergency during drill, go to the nearest ER. You must notify your unit commander as soon as possible so they can begin the LOD paperwork to ensure the claims are paid correctly by TRICARE rather than being denied or sent to your private insurance.
### Follow-up Care Follow-up care for an LOD condition continues until you are "fit for duty" or the condition is resolved. If the condition is permanent and prevents further service, the LOD documentation is critical for future VA disability claims or a Medical Evaluation Board (MEB).
## Who this affects * **National Guard members** on federal or state active duty (Title 10 or Title 32). * **Reserve members** (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard). * **Note:** This does *not* cover family members. Family members are only eligible for TRICARE if the sponsor is on active duty orders for more than 30 days or is enrolled in TRICARE Reserve Select.
## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [Line of Duty Care](https://www.tricare.mil/LOD) * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** [Reserve Component Health Care](https://health.mil) * **Humana Military (East Region):** [Provider LOD Instructions](https://www.humanamilitary.com) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West Region):** [Guard and Reserve Benefits](https://www.triwest.com)