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TRICARE Release of Information Guide: Records & Privacy

Learn how to request a Release of Information for TRICARE records using DD Form 2870, including 2026 contact info for TriWest and Humana Military.

TRICARE Release of Information Guide: Records & Privacy

*Disclosure: TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not the official TRICARE program or the Defense Health Agency. For official policy and forms, visit TRICARE.mil.*

## Quick answer To share your TRICARE medical or billing records with a third party, such as a lawyer, person, or non-military insurance company, you must submit a formal **Release of Information (ROI)** request. This is typically done using **DD Form 2870**, which gives the Defense Health Agency (DHA) or its regional contractors permission to disclose your protected health information (PHI).

## In detail The HIPAA Privacy Rule protects your medical records, meaning TRICARE cannot share your data without your written consent. The process for releasing information depends on whether you are requesting records from a military hospital, a regional contractor, or the pharmacy benefit manager.

### 1. The Standard Form: DD Form 2870 Most ROI requests require **DD Form 2870 (Authorization for Disclosure of Medical or Dental Information)**. On this form, you must specify: * Which records are being released (e.g., "All records from Jan 2025 to May 2026"). * The purpose of the disclosure (e.g., "Legal claim" or "Continuity of care"). * An expiration date for the authorization.

### 2. Where to Send the Request Where you send your ROI depends on who holds the data: * **Military Hospitals/Clinics:** Contact the Medical Records Department (Pad PAD) at the specific facility where you received care. * **TRICARE East (Humana Military):** Send requests to Humana Military for claims history or authorization data in the East Region. * **TRICARE West (TriWest Healthcare Alliance):** Since Jan 1, 2025, TriWest manages the West Region. Send requests to them for West-based administrative or claims records. * **Pharmacy Records:** Contact **Express Scripts** for a history of prescriptions and pharmacy costs.

### 3. Types of Information Released * **Claims and Billing:** Often needed for taxes, secondary insurance coordination, or legal settlements. * **Clinical Records:** Lab results, doctor's notes, and imaging. * **Sensitive Information:** Records involving sensitive topics (Mental Health, HIV, Substance Abuse) often require a separate, specific signature or an additional checkbox on the ROI form.

### 4. Fees for Records While obtaining records for "Continuity of Care" (sending them to another doctor) is usually free, TRICARE and its contractors may charge a "reasonable, cost-based fee" for other requests. * **2026 Estimate:** Fees for administrative copying often range from $0.15 to $0.25 per page, or a flat fee for digital media (CD/USB), depending on the facility or contractor's current rate.

## Who this applies to * **Active Duty Service Members (ADSMs):** Required when a civilian specialist needs to share results back to the Medical Group or when the member needs records for a VA claim. * **Retirees and Family Members:** Necessary when applying for life insurance or secondary private insurance. * **Parents of Minors:** Parents generally have access to a child’s records, but once a child turns 18 (or 12-15 in some states for sensitive care), the child must sign their own ROI. * **Legal Representatives:** Power of Attorney (POA) holders or executors of an estate must provide legal documentation alongside the ROI to access a beneficiary's records.

Common scenarios

### Scenario 1: The Personal Injury Lawsuit A TRICARE Select beneficiary in Virginia (East Region) is in a car accident in 2025. Their lawyer needs three years of medical billing to calculate damages. The beneficiary submits DD Form 2870 to **Humana Military**. Humana may charge a small administrative fee (e.g., $25.00) to compile and mail the hundred-page history.

### Scenario 2: Filing for Social Security Disability A retired veteran in California (West Region) applies for SSDI in 2026. The Social Security Administration needs clinical notes from the last two years of specialist visits. The veteran submits the ROI to **TriWest Healthcare Alliance** to release all authorization and referral notes to the SSA office.

### Scenario 3: Transitioning to the VA An Active Duty member separating in June 2026 needs their complete MHS GENESIS record for a VA disability claim. They visit the ROI desk at their local Military Treatment Facility (MTF) to request a digital copy of their entire Service Treatment Record (STR).

## Related terms * **PHI (Protected Health Information):** Any information about health status, provision of health care, or payment for health care that can be linked to a specific individual. * **DD Form 2870:** The official Department of Defense form used to authorize the release of medical records. * **HIPAA:** The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the federal law that governs the privacy and security of ROI procedures. * **T-5 Contract:** The current TRICARE contract (effective 2025) which transitioned West Region management to TriWest. * **MHS GENESIS:** The electronic health record system used by the military to store and transmit patient data.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil - Medical Records:** https://www.tricare.mil/Resources/MedicalRecords * **Health.mil - HIPAA and Privacy:** https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Privacy-and-Civil-Liberties/HIPAA-Compliance-within-the-MHS * **Humana Military (East Contractor):** https://www.humanamilitary.com/ * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West Contractor):** https://www.triwest.com/