Health Care

The 35th Medical Group offers a mix of primary and limited specialty care to meet the majority of the community's needs. Care is provided on a space-available basis to beneficiaries that are not Tricare Prime. While most beneficiaries are active duty service members or dependents enrolled in TRICARE Prime, there are many other categories of Americans that receive care at the 35th Medical Group.

All appointments at the 35th Medical Group are made through the central appointments line by calling DSN 315-226-6111 (Commercial 0176-77-6111).

The 35th Dental Flight is composed of general dentists, an orthodontist, a pediatric dentist, an oral maxillofacial surgeon and a complimentary staff of dental technicians. Dental services available include diagnostic, preventive and routine restorative care. Additional specialty services include orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, and oral maxillofacial surgery. Orthodontic services are limited and provided based on priority.

Examinations - Active-duty Air Force personnel can make their own appointments. Family members  are seen annually as well and based on availability.

For additional information, contact the Dental Clinic by calling DSN 315-226-6700 or Commercial: 0176-77-6700.

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.

The mission of the 35th Medical Group is to provide optimal medical support for contingency operations and peacetime health care to Misawa Air Base.

Medical Care 

The 35th Medical Group offers a mix of primary and basic specialty care to meet most of the community's needs. Care is provided on a space-available basis to beneficiaries that are not Tricare Prime. While most beneficiaries are active duty service members or dependents enrolled in Tricare Prime, there are many other categories of Americans that receive care at the 35th Medical Group.

All appointments at the 35th Medical Group are made through central appointments by calling DSN 315-226-6111 (Commercial 0176-77-6111).

DEERS Registration

Specific eligibility questions should be directed to TRICARE. Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) is a computerized information service used to verify and confirm the eligibility of individuals receiving uniformed services benefits. DEERS registration is required for Tricare eligibility and to receive care at a military medical treatment facility. All uniformed services sponsors (active, reserve or retired) should ensure their family status and residential addresses are always current in DEERS. Only the sponsor can add or delete a family member from DEERS and proper documents (such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree and/or birth certificate) must be provided.

Installation Hospital

Services available at the 35th Medical Group include:

• Family Practice
• Internal medicine
• Pediatrics
• Obstetrics and gynecology
• Optometry (limited contact lens service)
• General surgery
• Anesthesiology
• Orthopedics
• Psychiatry (limited providers)
• Mental Health (limited providers)
• In and Outpatient Pharmacy
• Health promotion and wellness
• Radiology
• Public Health
• Physical Therapy (limited providers)
• Nutritional medicine (limited providers)
• Laboratory
• Alcohol and drug prevention and treatment
• Family advocacy

Subspecialty care (such as Dermatology, Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), Audiology, Neurology, Urology, Podiatry, Pediatric subspecialist, etc.) is not readily available at Misawa. Some subspecialty physicians, such as Dermatology, ENT, Audiology, Neurology, and Urology do provide visits to Misawa approximately three times per year.

Individuals are encouraged to complete eye exams/tests and purchase civilian glasses prior to arrival at Misawa due to the fact these services are limited and purchasing glasses in the local area takes time and is very expensive. The eye clinic provides basic eye care to non-active-duty members on a space-available basis. At this time, contact lens care is provided on a space-available basis. We strongly recommend obtaining contact lens care before leaving the United States, to include two pairs of glasses or contact lenses and a copy of your eye care record (if medical record is out of network).

For additional information, contact the Optometry clinic by calling DSN 315-226-6040.

The mental health clinic and the health and wellness center are located in separate buildings, with the mental health building being within walking distance to the hospital.

Referrals

Due to our isolated location, military patient travel is the primary means to outsource medical care for TRICARE Prime beneficiaries. Over 90% of cases referred through the patient travel system goes to another Department of Defense military medical facility located in the Pacific. Once U.S. civilian pay patients land on U.S. soil, they no longer qualify for treatment in a military medical facility. These patients will be referred to civilian providers at their expense. Patient travel and aeromedical evacuation is not available for pay patients.

Limited alternative care services from local community hospitals are provided to our patients when referred by a primary care manager. Local Japanese hospitals provide referral services largely in diagnostic services. International SOS (ISOS) coordinates most of the care to the network facility our liaison assists and helps with translation services for TRCIARE Prime patients.

Emergency intensive care services are also occasionally requested or needed from local Japanese hospitals when our patients are not stable for aeromedical evacuation to other military treatment facilities. When medical care is required off base, the referral will be made by the PCM and a Japanese translator will accompany the beneficiary to the appointment.

Dental Services are currently limited, dependents are added to waitlists for extended periods of time.  We do have two off base dentists that TRICARE Prime beneficiaries can use if they are enrolled in United Concodia.

The 35th Dental Squadron is composed of general dentists, an orthodontist, a pediatric dentist, an oral maxillofacial surgeon, and a complimentary staff of dental technicians. Dental services available include diagnostic, preventive, and routine restorative care. Additional specialty services include orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, and oral maxillofacial surgery. Orthodontic services are limited and provided based on priority. Military personnel can make their own appointments and family members are seen annually as well based on availability.

For additional information, contact the Dental clinic by calling DSN 315-226-6700.