Air Evac Policy Clarified

TRICARE, the military’s managed health-care plan, wants beneficiaries to understand the guidelines for air ambulance services, or air evacuation. “TRICARE only pays if the transport is medically necessary and to the closest, safest location for medical care,” the agency said in a Feb. 18 statement. Overseas retirees who take advantage of air evac must pay first, then file for reimbursement. So do active-duty family members covered under TRICARE Standard. “Air ambulance service can be very expensive,” the agency stated. “If you are planning to live or travel overseas, you may wish to consider other options for coverage of air transportation for circumstances not covered by TRICARE.”