Nick Sheppard & TRICARE Leadership Reference

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## Quick answer Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland is currently the Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA), which oversees the TRICARE program. While there is no widely known public figure or high-ranking military official in the TRICARE leadership hierarchy named **Nick Sheppard**, the name is sometimes associated with specific regional case managers or military medical personnel at the local facility level.

## In detail In the context of TRICARE health insurance, personnel names typically matter to beneficiaries in three capacities: national leadership, regional contractor management, and local Patient Administration (PAD).

### National Leadership (Defense Health Agency) The TRICARE program is managed by the Defense Health Agency (DHA). As of May 2026, the key leadership responsible for your benefits includes: * **Director, DHA:** Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland. * **TRICARE Health Plan Director:** This role oversees the daily execution of the benefit across the East and West regions.

### Regional Contractors (T-5 Contract) If you are looking for specific administrative leadership regarding claims or authorizations, you must look to the regional contractors managing the T-5 contract (active as of 2026): * **TRICARE East Region:** Managed by **Humana Military**. * **TRICARE West Region:** Managed by **TriWest Healthcare Alliance** (which officially assumed full responsibility from Health Net Federal Services on January 1, 2025). * **Pharmacy Program:** Managed by **Express Scripts**.

### Identifying Your Points of Contact If you have received a letter or correspondence signed by a "Nick Sheppard" or a similar name regarding your benefits, it is likely one of the following: 1. **Case Manager:** A nurse or administrator assigned to complex medical cases within a Military Medical Center (MTF). 2. **Contractor Representative:** An employee of Humana Military or TriWest handling a specific grievance or appeal. 3. **Local MTF Staff:** An official within the Patient Liaison or Billing department at a specific clinic.

## Who this applies to * **Active Duty Service Members (ADSMs):** Who must coordinate all care through their PCM and regional contractor. * **Active Duty Family Members (ADFMs):** Who may interact with regional administrators when seeking specialty care authorizations. * **Retirees:** Who deal with regional contractors for enrollment fees (e.g., $393.36/year for individuals in TRICARE Select Group A in 2026). * **Beneficiaries with Complex Cases:** Those assigned a specific case manager for transitions of care or chronic disease management.

## Common scenarios * **The Appeals Process:** A beneficiary receives a denial for a specific surgery. They interact with a regional director or appeals specialist at **TriWest Healthcare Alliance** to overturn the decision. * **Case Management:** A Service Member is injured during a PCS move. A case manager (potentially a local official like a "Nick Sheppard") coordinates the transfer of medical records between the East and West regions to ensures continuity of care. * **Debt Collection Assistance:** A retiree finds a billing error from a civilian provider and contacts the **TRICARE Debt Collection Assistance Officer (DCAO)** at their local Military Treatment Facility for resolution.

## Related terms * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** The joint integrated combat support agency that enables the Army, Navy, and Air Force medical services to provide a medically ready force. * **T-5 Contract:** The fifth generation of TRICARE managed care support contracts, which brought TriWest back as the West region contractor in 2025. * **Primary Care Manager (PCM):** The doctor or clinic responsible for providing your basic healthcare and coordinating referrals to specialists. * **Express Scripts:** The private contractor that manages the TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery and retail pharmacy network. * **Beneficiary Web Enrollment (BWE):** The online portal used to switch plans or update personal information in the DEERS system.

## Sources * **TRICARE Official Site:** https://www.tricare.mil * **Defense Health Agency Leadership:** https://health.mil/About-MHS/O-DHA/Leadership * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West Region):** https://www.triwest.com * **Humana Military (East Region):** https://www.humanamilitary.com