Pharmacy Plan Gears Up

TRICARE for Life participants soon will receive notification with instructions on how to use a new pilot program that would require them to use mail order or military pharmacies to process certain prescription medications beginning March 15. On that date, TRICARE no longer will pay for prescriptions filled by retail pharmacies. Medications for acute conditions and antibiotics are exempt from the change, as are generic drugs for the time being. TRICARE implemented the change to fulfill requirements set forth in the 2013 defense-spending bill. After one year, beneficiaries can request to opt out of the pilot program. Additionally, beneficiaries who now use retail pharmacies will have a two-refill grace period before they have to begin receiving their medications by mail or through military pharmacies. The home-delivery program offers 90-day supplies of generic drugs free of charge, while brand-name medications cost $13. Express Scripts, the company that manages TRICARE’s mail-order program, can answer questions. Call (877) 882-3335.