Urgent Care vs. the Emergency Room
When you need immediate medical care, the last thing you’re thinking is “Am I following proper procedure?”
“Do I need to get approval for this?”
It is hard to plan for an emergency or the need for urgent care. Knowing a few key things about your TRICARE
plan now will prepare you, just in case.
It’s An Emergency when you or another person may be in
This information was obtained
from the TRICARE Prime Fact
Sheet and the Nurse Advice
Line Fact Sheet. To learn more,
visit:
TRICARE Prime Fact Sheet
Nurse Advice Line Fact Sheet
Emergency Care
danger of losing their life, limb, sight, or having a permanent
disability. It may look like this:
•
The person isn’t breathing or has no pulse
•
There is severe bleeding
•
The injured person can’t move on their own
It’s an Urgent Medical need when an illness or injury
requires professional attention within 24 hours but wouldn’t result
in further disability or death if it wasn’t treated immediately. It
may look like this:
•
A minor cut
•
Migraine headaches
•
An limb with limited mobility
•
A rising fever
If you have an emergency, call 911 or get to an emergency room (ER) immediately. Then, notify your Primary
Care Manager (PCM) within 24 hours. If you have an urgent medical need, call your PCM for guidance. If your
PCM can’t see you that day, you’ll need to get a referral from your PCM to have urgent care covered under
your TRICARE plan.
If you need advice now and can’t reach your PCM call the Nurse Advice Line for information on how to care for
yourself or others at home or when to seek help from your health care provider. This Nurse Advice Line is a
free service, and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 1-800-TRICARE (874-2273), Option 1.
Knowing this information ahead of time will keep you and your family safe and may cost you less for the
medical care you need.
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