Medical Records ()
ACCESS TO CARE AT DOD MTFS IN EUROPE
All DOD Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) follow the Access to Care and Priorities of Care guidelines as outlined in the Access/Priority of Care policy published by the Defense Health Agency (DHA). The number one priority of care at all DOD Military Treatment Facilities is for active-duty servicemembers.
Depending on personnel staffing levels and other factors, individual Military Treatment Facility Directors are authorized to modify or adjust access to care for various groups or categories. This may include, but is not limited to, overseas DOD employees and their family members and overseas DODEA teachers and their family members.
Again, the decision to modify, or adjust, access to care is up to the individual clinic or hospital director based on the capacity and staffing levels at their respective clinic.
Access to care that is available in all DOD MTFs is prioritized as follows:
PRIORITY 1:
A) Active-duty Servicemembers.
B) Military members not on active duty, but entitled to MTF care, to include:
- Reserve Component members entitled to care relating to line-of-duty incurred conditions, or as otherwise provided under applicable DoD policy.
- Temporary Disability Retired List for required periodic medical examinations and access to MTFs for mandatory re-evaluation requirements.
- Certain former members with a serious illness or injury as provided by Section 1631 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, or similar authority.
C) Foreign military members entitled to MTF care pursuant to a reciprocal health care or other applicable international agreement (e.g., North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO], Partnership for Peace Status of Forces Agreement [PFP SOFA]). Foreign members are eligible for the scope of services specified in the applicable agreement.
PRIORITY 2:
A) When they are enrolled in Prime, active-duty family members (ADFMs) and Transitional Survivors of Service members who died on active duty and who are enrolled in Prime.
B) NATO/PFP SOFA and other foreign military members’ family members who are entitled to care pursuant to an applicable international agreement for the scope of services specified in the agreement.
PRIORITY 3:
A) Retirees, their family members, and survivors enrolled in TRICARE Prime.
B) TRICARE Plus beneficiaries when being appointed for primary care at the MTF where they are enrolled.
PRIORITY 4:
A) ADFMs not enrolled in TRICARE Prime.
B) Transitional Survivors of deceased ADSMs and who are not enrolled in TRICARE Prime.
C) TRICARE Reserve Select beneficiaries.
PRIORITY 5:
A) Retirees, their family members, and survivors who are not enrolled in TRICARE Prime.
B) TRICARE Plus beneficiaries being appointed for specialty care at the MTF where they are enrolled. PRIORITY EXCEPTIONS below are granted at MTF commanders’ discretion:
- Bona fide medical emergencies or cases in which the provision of certain medical care is required by law or applicable Department of Defense Directive or Instruction. This includes care for civilian employees exposed to health hazards in the workplace or injured on the job.
- Secretarial designee, to the extent appropriate to the context in which Secretarial designee status is given.
- Patients needed to maintain an adequate clinical case mix for an approved Graduate Medical Education program functioning in the MTF or for readiness-related medical skills sustainment activities.
- Unexpected or extraordinary cases, not otherwise addressed in this policy, in which the MTF commander determines, in coordination with his or her Service guidance and/or the TRICARE Regional Office (TRO), as appropriate, that a special exception is in the best interest of MHS and TRICARE.
- In overseas locations, other exceptions may be established to the extent necessary to support mission objectives.
