FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS –
TRICARE Prime beneficiaries on Fort Leavenworth and surrounding communities who used the referral approval waiver between Jan.1 and June 30 and are still receiving specialty care off post using the waiver need a new referral before Oct. 1.
The referral approval waiver was issued by the Defense Health Agency in January to minimize disruption to care while a new regional contractor, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, transitioned to provide services.
This meant beneficiaries in TRICARE Region West did not need to wait for TriWest to approve referrals issued by their primary care manager before receiving outpatient specialty care off post.
“If you are currently seeing a specialist using that waiver, this is a critical deadline coming up. Referrals issued during the referral approval waiver period end Sept. 30, and you may be subject to out-of-pocket expenses after that time if you haven’t taken action to update your referral,” said Toni McCall, Munson’s chief of Business Operations Division.
Munson transitioned back to TriWest referral processing in early June, so, many referrals were already processed by TriWest and may already be valid past the September 30 deadline associated with the referral approval waiver.
“Because we resumed referral processing early in June, patients should first verify the validity of their current referral before requesting a new one,” said McCall, emphasizing that this expiration only applies to ongoing care received using the referral approval waiver.
CHECK YOUR REFERRAL STATUS FIRST:
The fastest and most efficient way to check your referral's valid dates is by logging into the TriWest Patient Portal at
https://tricare.triwest.com/en/beneficiary, where the regional contractor reviews referrals submitted by your PCM for approval and authorization.
If you don't use the portal, you can call TriWest directly at 888-TRIWEST (874-9378) to inquire about the status of your existing referral.
ONLY REQUEST A NEW REFERRAL IF NECESSARY:
If your TriWest portal shows NO authorization for your continued care after September 30, 2025, THEN follow these steps:
The preferred method for requesting a new referral is to send a secure message to your primary care team through the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal secure message function at
https://my.mhsgenesis.health.mil/. This allows for efficient communication and record-keeping.
If you do not have access to the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal, you can call the Munson Army Health Center Appointment Line at 913-684-6250 and request that a message be sent to your primary care team.
“We want to make this transition as smooth as possible for our beneficiaries at Fort Leavenworth,” said McCall. “By checking your referral status first, you can avoid unnecessary steps and ensure you receive the care you need without interruption.”