TRICARE Created in the early 1990s, TRICARE is the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) health care entitlement for active duty and retired members of the military, their families and survivors. TRICARE's objectives are to optimize the delivery of health care services at military treatment facilities and supplement that with access to civilian health care networks where necessary. TRICARE, formerly CHAMPUS, is a health benefit for dependents of active duty military personnel, military retires and their dependents. Generally speaking, TRICARE covers prosthetic devices including augmentative communication devices (voice prostheses), wheelchairs and scooters, standers, gait trainers, and hearing aids in addition to other durable medical equipment (DME)and specialized medical equipment (SME). See TRICARE factsheet. TRICARE has determined that altered auditory feedback devices that do not generate speech are communication aids. These devices are excluded and are not considered augmentative communication devices/voice prostheses.For questions regarding these changes, contact TriWest Healthcare Alliance at 1-888-TRIWEST (1-888-874-9378) or refer to the TRICARE Policy Manual. ECHO, a supplemental TRICARE program, provides financial assistance to eligible active duty family members who have a qualifying mental or physical disability. Additional Contacts: TriWest HealthCare Alliance is the contractor for TRICARE in Alaska and the western region of the United States. Contact them for more specific information.
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