The TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy program is easy and convenient for TRICARE beneficiaries to use.¹ It enables them to save on prescription costs and may increase their compliance with prescribed medication regimens.
 
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that cost-share changes could affect patients’ access to prescription drugs. A mere 10-percent cost-share increase can result in lower drug treatment rates, less usage among current users and more frequent discontinuation. Patients with chronic conditions like congestive heart failure and diabetes who stop taking their medication may require additional costly medical services.
 
The TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy program allows beneficiaries to receive up to a 90-day supply of long-term prescriptions at a cost about 66 percent lower than what they would pay at a TRICARE retail network pharmacy. A 90-day supply is dispensed for the same cost as a 30-day supply. Medications are delivered to your patients’ front door, and they can order refills by mail, phone or online.
 
Verifying Mail Order Is an Option
TRICARE providers should first determine how specific prescriptions are covered by TRICARE. You can access the Department of Defense (DoD) Uniform Formulary listing or through your electronic medical records service. (See the “Greater Electronic Access to DoD Uniform Formulary Pharmacy List” article in this issue for more information.) If the mail-order pharmacy program is appropriate, encourage your patient to register using one of the following options:

• Online: www.express-scripts.com
• By Phone: Member Choice Center at 1-877-363-1433
• By Mail: Express Scripts, Inc.
  P.O. Box 52150
  Phoenix, AZ 85072-9954

Ensuring Accurate Processing
Mail-order pharmacy prescriptions must include the following information:

• Patient name
• Patient date of birth and/or Social Security number
• Patient address
• Name of the medication
• Medication dosage and instructions
• Date prescription was written
• Provider’s signature
• Correct quantity (Note: If a prescription is written for a 30-day supply, only a 30-day supply will be shipped.)
• National Provider Identifier and Drug Enforcement Administration numbers

Faxing Prescriptions
Faxed prescriptions must be transmitted from a provider’s office to 1-877-895-1900. If it is printed on a colored pad or one with a large non-printable watermark, you must verify that the prescription is readable. Otherwise, it may appear as a completed transaction even if it is not.
 
The TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy program allows cost-savings and may increase your patients’ compliance with prescribed medication regimens. Talk to your TRICARE patients about the TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy program today.

¹In most cases, TRICARE beneficiaries with other health insurance are not allowed to use the TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy program.

  Back to Top