JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
During a recent Army Family Action Plan forum at Fort Eustis, Virginia, the question was raised about re-establishing an Urgent Care Center at the post.
"Unfortunately, neither the current demand nor the business case analysis substantiated the request," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Heidi P. Mon, McDonald Army Health Center commander. "In meeting with the members of the committee, I recognized the need to educate McDonald Army Health Center beneficiaries on the Urgent Care Center options available in the area."
For TRICARE Prime beneficiaries assigned to MCAHC to receive care at an Urgent Care Center, an authorization number is required before proceeding to a UCC.
Below is a couple of ways to obtain an authorization:
· When a beneficiary calls the Hampton Roads Appointment Center at 1-866-MIL-HLTH (1-866-645-4584) for an acute or same-day appointment, and none are available, the call agent will link the beneficiary with the front desk staff of the clinic. The clinic staff will either help the patient make an appointment with the clinic or a Registered Nurse will enter a consult for care at a local UCC. The beneficiary can then seek care at any of the local Urgent Care Centers that accepts TRICARE.
· If urgent care is sought after business hours, beneficiaries must call the Nurse Advice Line, 1-800-874-2273 (1-800-TRICARE) and select Option 1. The Registered Nurse that answers the call will provide the encounter number and advise the beneficiary of the nearest UCC facility which accepts TRICARE.
McDonald Army Health Center is currently working to partner with each of these Urgent Care Centers by either faxing a copy of the medical documentation to MCAHC Referral Management Office or providing a copy of the medical documentation to the beneficiary/patient for the beneficiary to provide to his or her MCAHC Primary Care Manager for inclusion in the beneficiary's medical record. This aids in efforts of maintaining continuity of care. Once the information from the UCC is scanned into the beneficiary's medical record, the beneficiary's Primary Care Manager will be able to access the information.
If you have any questions regarding seeking health care at a local UCC, please call McDonald's staff members in the Managed Care Division at 314-7766 or 314-7748.