MARCH 18, 2022 – Are you regularly filling a prescription for a medical condition? If you are, choosing the right pharmacy option can save you a great deal of time and money. For many TRICARE beneficiaries, the cheapest, most convenient option is TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery.
“Home delivery is a smart option for people who take maintenance drugs,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Melissa Yates, a pharmacist with the Defense Health Agency’s Pharmacy Operations Division. “Maintenance medications are drugs you take regularly for chronic conditions, like high blood pressure. Other short-term use drugs should be obtained from a military or retail network pharmacy. This way, you can begin therapy as soon as possible.”
Yates said patients may want to think about switching to home delivery because it is safe and reliable.
TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery will ship to any address in the U.S. or U.S. territories, including APO/FPO addresses. Express Scripts, the TRICARE pharmacy contractor, ships millions of prescriptions each year with greater than 99.99% accuracy. Your prescription will arrive in tamper-evident, weatherproof packages.
Yates also said that home delivery can save you money.
Home delivery is the least expensive TRICARE pharmacy option after military pharmacies. Standard shipping is free. Home delivery also offers up to a 90-day supply for a single copayment. At retail network pharmacies, three copayments are required to get a 90-day supply.
As outlined in the TRICARE Pharmacy Program Handbook, all beneficiaries in the U.S. — except active-duty service members — must get certain maintenance drugs filled through home delivery or at a military pharmacy. If you fill these maintenance drugs at a retail pharmacy, the pharmacy will only fill your prescription twice at the TRICARE copayment rate. After that, you’ll pay 100% of the cost.
Another perk is that pharmacists are always available to help, Yates said.
Have questions about your prescription? At Express Scripts, a team of pharmacists is available 24/7 through your online account or the Express Scripts mobile app. These pharmacists specialize in different diseases, such as diabetes and cancer. They can answer questions about possible side effects, dosages, and more.
Eligible prescriptions can be enrolled or disenrolled in automatic refills at any time. Express Scripts will ask you to provide your consent to continue receiving automatic refills.
If you’re filling a prescription drug regularly, see if you can have it delivered right to your door with home delivery. To learn more about your pharmacy coverage, check out the TRICARE Pharmacy Program Handbook and TRICARE Pharmacy Program Overview.
BY TRICARE COMMUNICATIONS