MARCH 12, 2025 – Your health is about more than just sick visits and medications—it’s also about making choices that keep you feeling your best. Getting routine preventive care can help you stay well and catch problems early.
Be proactive and schedule your preventive health exams this year. With preventive health services, TRICARE has you covered.
So exactly what are preventive services, and what are their benefits?
“Taking care of your health isn’t just about reacting to issues—it’s about staying ahead of them,” said Jeannine Pickrell, director for TRICARE Population Health and Disease Management, at the Defense Health Agency. “Preventive health services include recognized proactive health screenings, counseling, and maintenance to prevent future illness.”
Preventive health services play a key role in your long-term physical and mental health. Read on to learn more about the benefits of preventive health services and how TRICARE covers these services.
Benefits of preventive health services
Preventive health checkups can help avoid health problems before they start. Checkups also help in detecting conditions for which you may be at risk.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, preventive health services can help find and diagnose illnesses or diseases by tracking blood pressure, cholesterol, and getting diabetes screenings. This means treatment can start early and is most likely to be effective. Regular preventive checkups have been shown to reduce the risk for serious illness or diseases, like cancer.
Types of preventive health services
When to start health screenings—and how often you have them—will vary. For instance, your gender, age, family history, and other risk factors. For each screening, TRICARE offers guidelines to help you plan. You can also ask your primary health care provider if you’re due for any screenings.
TRICARE covers many types of preventive exams and screenings. Many of them are conducted in a Health Promotion and Disease Prevention exam.
Adults
As you age, it’s important to know when to start preventive care:
- Blood pressure screenings
- Cancer screenings
- Cholesterol testing
- Hepatitis B
- Immunizations
- Physicals
Men should get regular prostate cancer exams. Women should get well-woman exams (includes breast exams, pelvic exams, and Pap tests) and mammograms.
There are special screenings such as a colonoscopy, to determine the health of the colon. CDC guidelines advise a colonoscopy once every 10 years beginning at age 45 for individuals at average risk for colon cancer.
Some types of non-routine diagnostic tests are for patients with signs or symptoms or are at high risk of developing a condition. They may require a referral or pre-authorization from your provider.
Children
Preventive services are key for kids to stay healthy. And, getting your kids in the routine of getting regular checkups is a great habit they’ll take into adulthood. These preventive services include:
- Well-child exams (includes developmental and behavioral assessments)
- Immunizations
- Vision screenings
Preventive care costs
TRICARE makes it easy to get the preventive care you and your family need.
If you see a TRICARE network provider, TRICARE covers all clinical preventive services with no out-of-pocket costs, as described in the TRICARE Costs and Fees Fact Sheet. TRICARE Prime covers one HP&DP exam annually.
If you have TRICARE For Life, you may have a TRICARE cost-share for any preventive service that Medicare or TRICARE doesn’t cover. Visit Medicare’s preventive coverage and screenings page for more information.
Remember, even if you feel well, it’s important to see a doctor regularly to:
- Maintain good health
- Help avoid problems in the future
- Detect a condition before it worsens
Want to learn more about how TRICARE covers these services? Check out TRICARE Preventive Services.
Courtesy Story
Defense Health Agency