Health Care

When you move, TRICARE moves with you. No matter where you go in the world, TRICARE is there before, during and when you get to your next duty station.

There are steps you need to take to make sure changes to your TRICARE coverage go smoothly. Understand that when you move, you may have to use a different TRICARE option. Visit TRICARE Moving to learn more.

Before you move, you should take care of any routine medical needs, including immunizations, and fill your prescriptions so you have enough while traveling. If you need care during your move, visit TRICARE Getting Care When Traveling to learn what to do.

Filling prescriptions while traveling

You should refill prescriptions before traveling. But if you run out of a prescription drug while traveling, visit TRICARE Filling Prescriptions When Traveling.

Getting dental care while traveling

Getting dental care while traveling depends on your location and whether you are a service member or family member.

• If you are an active-duty service member within the United States or in U.S. territories, and near a military installation, you may be able to get emergency dental care at the dental treatment facility, or DTF, if available. If not, contact the TRICARE Active Duty Dental Care Program before you see a dentist and tell the contractor about your move. You will need to get an authorization before you see a dentist. The Active Duty Dental Care Program will work with you, so you can get care from a local network dentist.
• If you are an active-duty service member at an overseas location, call the TRICARE overseas regional call center to get authorization before you see a civilian dentist.
• If you are an active-duty family member within the United States, in U.S. territories or at an overseas location, you can find out if any nearby military dental treatment facility treats active-duty family members. If you're enrolled in the TRICARE dental program, call the TRICARE dental program contractor or visit their website to find a provider. You will need to get an authorization before you see the dentist.

With permanent change of station orders, ask for a copy of your medical and dental records from your military treatment facility and the dental treatment facility. Do this at least one month before your PCS date. The MTF should also transfer a copy of your record and any family records to your new duty station or you may be able to hand carry them to your new duty station.

If you want someone else to be able to get medical or dental information on you or your family while you are moving, you need to complete a DD Form 2870, "Authorization for Disclosure of Medical or Dental Information."

For more information on getting copies of medical records, visit TRICARE Request Copies of Medical Records.

There are Military Dentists available on most installations in Republic of Korea, except for Area II. Military Dentists provide urgent and routine services primarily to active-duty Service Members. To support comprehensive and complex dental care, dental specialties are staffed at Carius Dental Treatment Facility on USAG Humphreys, including limited orthodontic care exclusively for Service Members. Additionally, two Pediatric Dentists are staffed at Carius Dental Treatment Facility on USAG Humphreys for children of command sponsored active-duty service members ages 17 and under. There is a limited capacity which the Pediatric Dental staff can support. When space is available, Family Members are treated on the installations for dental emergencies, however routine dental treatment for eligible beneficiaries is available at cost by host-nation clinicians enrolled in the TRICARE Dental Overseas Program Overseas or by utilizing other insurance options of an individual’s preference. Many Korean dentists have been trained and are board certified in the United States, ensuring the same level of quality care for beneficiaries. 

It is advised that everyone coming to Korea maintain their current TRICARE enrollment until they arrive in Korea. Upon arrival at U.S. Army Garrison-Humphreys and upon receipt of final destination order, the sponsor needs to report to the TRICARE Office to change enrollment to Korea and be assigned a primary care manager or provider. If you do not register with the medical clinic at your final destination, when you make an appointment through the centralized appointment line, your appointment may be scheduled at another clinic location. Medical care and services are routinely available to active-duty military and their eligible dependents utilizing TRICARE Overseas Prime. Eligible retirees or non-command sponsored family members can receive medical care on a space-available basis.

TRICARE has agreements with many hospitals in Korea. Going to these hospitals as command-sponsored active-duty family members is no different than going to a military treatment facility. There is no co-pay or deductible costs. Non-command sponsored families or civilian employees and their families going to an off-post hospital will have to pay the full cost of the visit prior to departing the hospital. You then have to submit the bill to TRICARE or your insurance company for reimbursement. A great many of the Korean medical community were trained in the U.S. and speak English. There is usually an English translator available when needed at most Korean hospitals. The military clinics all use TRICARE online secure messaging to communicate between patients and providers. If you haven’t signed up for these websites, you should consider doing that as soon as your PCM is assigned to you and/or your family. There is the KORHEALTH app (phone application for Android and Apple phones) that provides information on both on- and off-post care as well as dental, veterinary and public health information. It will tell you where the nearest TRICARE-accepting hospital is located. Download this app prior to arriving in Korea.

Medical care and services are routinely available to active-duty military and their eligible dependents utilizing TRICARE Overseas Prime. Eligible retirees or non-command sponsored family members can receive medical care on a space-available basis. Changing your TRICARE coverage is completed during your initial in-processing when arriving in Korea. The Brian D. Allgood Army Community Hospital is located at U.S. Army Garrison-Humphreys in addition to troop medical clinics. Any specialty care not available on post will be referred through the local TRICARE office to a local Korean hospital.