TRICARE Third Party Liability: DD Form 2527 Guide (2026)

If you or a family member are injured in an accident, TRICARE requires you to fill out a **Third-Party Liability (TPL) form (DD Form 2527)**. This form tells TRICARE if someone else’s insurance (like auto or homeowners insurance) should pay for your medical bills before TRICARE does. TRICARE will still pay your claims, but they use this form to "subrogate"—which is a legal way of saying they want to get reimbursed by the person or company at fault.

*Note: TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not affiliated with the official TRICARE program or the Defense Health Agency. Visit TRICARE.mil for official policy.*

In detail

When a TRICARE claims processor (Humana Military in the East or TriWest in the West) sees a medical claim with a diagnosis code related to an injury (like a broken bone, concussion, or burn), they are legally required to investigate if a third party is responsible.

### Why you must file DD Form 2527 Under the Federal Medical Care Recovery Act, the Department of Defense is required to recover the costs of medical care provided to beneficiaries from whoever is responsible for the injury. If you receive a letter asking for this form, you must respond—even if the injury was your own fault or happened at home.

* **Suspended Claims:** If you do not return the form within 35 days (varying slightly by contractor), TRICARE will stop processing any claims related to that injury. * **The 2026 Process:** As of 2026, many of these "Statement of Personal Injury" forms can be completed through your regional contractor's secure portal (Humana Military or TriWest).

### What the form covers The DD Form 2527 asks for details regarding: * The date and location of the incident. * How the injury occurred (e.g., motor vehicle accident, slip and fall, medical malpractice). * Information on any insurance policies involved (Your auto insurance, the other driver's insurance, etc.). * Contact information for any legal representation you have hired.

## Who this applies to * **Active Duty Service Members (ADSMs):** While their care is usually direct at MTFs, if they receive civilian emergency care for an accident, the TPL form is required. * **TRICARE Select & Prime Retirees:** This is most common for retirees involved in motor vehicle accidents or "slip and fall" incidents at businesses. * **Family Members:** Anyone on a TRICARE plan (Prime, Select, Reserve Select, or Young Adult) who seeks civilian medical care for an injury-related diagnosis. * **TRICARE For Life (TFL) Users:** While Medicare usually pays first, if the injury is accident-related, both Medicare and TRICARE will look for third-party liability coverage (like No-Fault auto insurance).

Common scenarios

### 1. The Multi-Car Accident Jane (TRICARE Select) is rear-ended in May 2026. The emergency room bills TRICARE $5,000 for X-rays and a neck brace. TriWest (West Region) flags the claim and sends Jane a DD Form 2527. Jane completes the form, noting the other driver's insurance info. TRICARE pays the $5,000 to the hospital minus her 2026 deductible/copay, then works behind the scenes to get that $5,000 back from the other driver's insurance company.

### 2. The Kitchen Accident Mark (TRICARE Prime) accidentally cuts his hand while cooking and requires 10 stitches. Because the doctor used an injury diagnosis code, Humana Military (East Region) sends a TPL form. Mark fills it out, checking the box that it was a "home accident" with no third party involved. TRICARE processes the claim normally, and no further action is taken.

### 3. The Slip and Fall Sarah (TRICARE Reserve Select) slips on a wet floor at a grocery store. The medical bills total $2,500. Sarah hires a lawyer to sue the store. She must list her lawyer's information on the DD Form 2527. If Sarah wins a settlement, a portion of that money must be used to reimburse TRICARE for the $2,500 they paid for her care.

## Related terms * **Subrogation:** The legal process where an insurance company (TRICARE) seeks reimbursement from the party responsible for a loss. * **DD Form 2527:** The official "Statement of Personal Injury - Possible Third Party Liability" document. * **Coordination of Benefits (COB):** The process of determining which insurance pays first when a beneficiary has more than one plan. * **Federal Medical Care Recovery Act:** The law that mandates the government's right to recover medical costs from liable third parties. * **Diagnosis Code (ICD-10):** The alphanumeric code used by doctors that tells TRICARE "this was an injury," triggering the TPL process.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil - Third Party Liability:** https://www.tricare.mil/tpl * **Humana Military (East):** https://www.humanamilitary.com/ * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West):** https://www.triwest.com/ * **WHS - DD Form 2527 PDF:** https://www.esd.whs.mil/Directives/forms/dd2500_2999/DD2527/