Using TRICARE for Military Psychiatric Hospital Coverage
Does TRICARE cover military psychiatric hospitals? Let’s get the initial answer out of the way: yes, TRICARE will pay for treatment at military mental hospitals and a variety of other mental health services offered in both the civilian and military realms.
If you or a family member is an active-duty service member, retiree, or family member covered through TRICARE, chances are inpatient psychiatric treatment is an option available to you through TRICARE-covered facilities like DoD military hospitals and civilian partner hospitals.
But, like all insurance coverage, coverage depends on a mix of factors: your TRICARE plan, facility category, status (active-duty or retiree or dependent), severity of condition, and whether preauthorization is required.
Educating oneself on how TRICARE and military psychiatric units interact might allow an individual to make wise decisions in case of mental illness and traverse the system more rapidly.
This guide, by our experienced personnel at TriCareRehabs.com, explains how TRICARE mental health benefits function, how inpatient admissions to psychiatric units are authorized, and how to make use of treatment within civilian and DoD systems.
What Facilities are Considered Military Psychiatric Hospitals?
A military psychiatric hospital is a military mental health support institution operated by the Department of Defense to provide inpatient mental health treatment to active-duty military personnel, veterans (sometimes), and some family members.
This sort of military hospital is typically on or very near a military base and is staffed by dual-trained clinicians in psychiatry and military-specific behavioral health.
Military psychiatric facilities treat all types of conditions, such as:
- Suicidal ideation or self-harm
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Severe depression or anxiety
- Psychosis or delusions
- Substance use with co-occurring mental health conditions
- Behavioral unpredictability necessitating 24/7 observation
Patients admitted to these facilities receive intensive, round-the-clock care with structured therapeutic programming, medication management, crisis stabilization, and discharge planning.
Will TRICARE Pay for Military Psychiatric Treatment?
Yes. TRICARE includes hospitalization for inpatient psychiatric treatment when medically or psychologically necessary. Coverage is for treatment at:
- Military treatment facilities (MTFs), including psychiatric hospitals
- Non-military hospitals contracted by TRICARE
- Approved Residential Treatment Centers (for Eligible Children and Adolescents)
For hospital coverage in a psychiatric facility to occur, a certified mental health practitioner must determine inpatient treatment to be the appropriate treatment level by taking a look at the severity of symptoms, risk of self-harm or harming another person, and inability to function in daily life.
Which Organizations are Eligible to Cover Military Members Under TRICARE?
Military psychiatric facility healthcare is determined by your TRICARE eligibility status and by services in the facility.
Active duty service members (ADSMs) are usually required to receive inpatient mental health treatment at military treatment centers unless they are referred.
Active-duty family members (ADFMs) may be treated at inpatient psychiatric units in military hospital facilities if space is available or at in-network civilian facilities.
Retirees and their families may utilize TRICARE to acquire inpatient psychiatric services, although they’re referred to civilian providers more frequently.
TRICARE Prime members usually require referrals by their Primary Care Manager (PCM).
TRICARE Select participants are non-referral, but might need to have inpatient services pre-authorization.
Not all military hospitals have a psychiatric unit, so treatment at a civilian psychiatric hospital may be authorized by TRICARE if services are not readily available on base.
What is Covered by TRICARE During a Psychiatric Hospital Stay?
TRICARE inpatient psychiatric and mental health coverage includes:
- Medical and psychiatric evaluations
- 24/7 nursing and psychiatric supervision
- Medication management and stabilization
- Crisis intervention and safety monitoring
- Individual, group, and family therapy
- Referral to hospital or step-down care and discharge planning
The overall length of stay is guided by clinical necessity and is reviewed at regular intervals. TRICARE requires ongoing documentation to maintain coverage for inpatient treatment once the initial duration is approved.
Is Prior Authorization Mandatory by Statute?
Yes, overall, preauthorization is required for inpatient mental health services by TRICARE—especially for scheduled (non-emergent) admissions.
Emergency admissions are treated without preauthorization if medically necessary. However, notification has to be sent to TRICARE within 72 hours of admission.
Non-emergencies are permitted on condition of the provider’s discretion and justification of the standard of attention.
Active duty members must contact their military provider or PCM to be referred and authorized. Family members and retirees are to contact their local TRICARE contractor (Humana Military, Health Net Federal Services (for issues with claims before Jan 1st, 2025, when TRIWest Health Alliance took over management of the West region), or International SOS) to schedule authorization in advance of admission.
Are Civilian Mental Health Treatment Facilities Covered as Well?
Yes, in specific instances. If no military psychiatric hospital is available, is at full occupancy, or cannot deliver the required level of care, TRICARE is authorized to approve inpatient treatment at a civilian psychiatric hospital authorized by TRICARE.
In such cases:
- Prior authorization might be necessary.
- The civilian facility will be TRICARE-authorized and will be licensed
- Coverage rules and reviews by medical necessity and concurrent care are still applicable.
This flexibility allows timely treatment in a psychiatric unit even if a military treatment facility is not a viable choice.
Is TRICARE Coverage Accepted at Military Treatment Facilities?
Yes, TRICARE provides a full continuum of mental health coverage beyond psychiatric hospitalization, such as:
- Outpatient psychotherapy (individual, group, family)
- Intensive outpatient programs (IOP)
- Partial hospitalization programs (PHP)
- Medication management with a psychiatrist
- Residential treatment of teenagers and children in the form of TRICARE Young Adults coverage
- Treatment for substance abuse (detox, rehab, MAT)
- Telehealth behavioral health visits
These services are used after hospitalization to provide continuity and prevent relapse or crisis.
How Much Will You Pay for Inpatient Psychiatric Treatment through TRICARE?
Out-of-pocket costs depend on your TRICARE plan and beneficiary status. The rough breakdown is as follows:
- Active-duty members: No copayment. That is all paid.
- TRICARE Prime: Typically, low copays for retirees and families when using network providers.
- TRICARE Select: Covered subject to annual deductibles, cost-shares, and a catastrophic cap.
- Retired beneficiaries: Higher copays and coinsurance, but significantly lower than private-pay rates.
Keep costs low by using TRICARE-network providers or military facilities when you can. You may check your costs on their official website by using the TRICARE Cost Tool.
Does TRICARE Cover VA Mental Health Facilities As Well?
TRICARE is not responsible for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), whose mission is to provide care to veterans. But some veterans are covered by VA psychiatric facilities or co-located DoD/VA facilities, depending on their eligibility and duty status. For some veterans living outside the country and with diagnosed mental health-related service disability, the Foreign Medical Program offers reimbursement and support that can be hard to otherwise get covered.
Veterans covered by TRICARE (e.g., by TRICARE for Life) may similarly use TRICARE to cover psychiatric treatment in civilian facilities on authorization.
What Comes Next After a Military Psychiatric Hospital Visit?
TRICARE believes in continuity of care. Upon stabilization, patients are typically discharged to outpatient programs or less-intensive treatment programs in order to achieve long-term recovery. This may include:
- Follow up with a psychiatrist or therapist
- Participation in IOP or PHP
- Medication management
- Family counseling or reintegration support
- PTSD treatment, if applicable
These services are typically reimbursed by TRICARE with appropriate referrals or authorization, and with the proper handoff of mental health records and documentation.
How to Utilize a Military Psychiatrist With TRICARE
For admission to a military psychiatric hospital, the process is as follows:
- Call your Primary Care Manager (PCM) or behavioral health provider.
- Ask for a reference or approval if necessary for your plan. Contact your TRICARE regional contractor to verify coverage, location, and network. For emergencies, go to the nearest emergency room. The facility must notify TRICARE within 72 hours of admission.
- You might also call the TRICARE Nurse Advice Line or Behavioral Health Crisis Line in case of an immediate need by you or a family member.
Using TRICARE to Cover Military Psychiatric Hospitals
Using TRICARE to offset or eliminate the cost of military psychiatric hospitals can be done in clinically justified situations and through coordinated access through the right channels.
The coverage is neither limited to nor excludes military psychiatric units but includes civilian ones when necessary. It’s a system of order to process service personnel and their families properly through mental health crises.
There are procedures to be done, authorizations and referrals, and network confirmation; the system provides a direct path to inpatient mental treatment when it’s absolutely needed. If you or someone on your behalf has a mental health issue to address, then act fast.
Call up your PCM, look at your plan, and utilize the resources. Treatment is available and covered through TRICARE.
Get Holistic Support for Dual Diagnoses With TriCareRehabs.com
If you or a loved one covered by TRICARE is struggling with substance abuse alongside mental health issues, our experienced staff at TricareRehabs.com offers placement support for dual diagnosis and addiction treatment facilities that are in-network, whether you have TRICARE for Life, TRICARE Reserve Select, or even TRICARE Young Adult.
Give us a call today to learn about options for effective mental health and addiction treatment services. We will review the treatment process so that you or your loved one finds the right facility, one that is approved by TRICARE and meets your needs and goals in reaching out for assistance.
Every call is kept strictly confidential, so please do not hesitate – reach out now.
References
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- Defense Health Agency. (n.d.). Mental health. Health.mil. Retrieved 09/16/2025, from https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Mental-Health
- TRICARE. (n.d.). MHS Nurse Advice Line. U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved September 16, 2025, from https://tricare.mil/NAL
- Marine Corps Substance Abuse Program Guidance - December 8, 2025
- Does Spice Show Up on a Military Drug Test? - December 2, 2025
- Air Force DDRP Guidance - November 30, 2025
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