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TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy Follows Troops to Battlefield


Major General Elder Granger, MC
USA Deputy Director
TRICARE Management Activity

"Military members are assured a safe, secure and convenient supply of the prescription medications they need, anytime and anywhere."

Safe, secure and convenient access to needed medicines is a top concern for TRICARE beneficiaries. TRICARE addresses this concern by providing home delivery through the TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy (TMOP). As important as this is for retirees and family members, it’s just as vital for deployed service members.

Some service members need medication to treat chronic medical conditions such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Before they deploy, their mobilization station pharmacy gives them a 180-day supply. After that, TMOP mails refills directly to them, wherever they are deployed. Not only does this provide consistent and reliable support for deployed service members, but it also takes the refill burden off the service member’s military treatment facility or field hospital.

Refills are easy and convenient for men and women in uniform in combat theaters. They don’t have to get to their base medical treatment facility or risk delay while pharmacists order medications. A simple online request brings their medications to them by mail.

Express Scripts Inc., the TMOP contractor, will increase its service in May by sending deployed service members an e-mail reminder 60 days before their prescriptions are due. Service members simply confirm their medication needs and current mailing address and Express Scripts, Inc., sends the medication directly to them.

The number of prescriptions TMOP fills for deployed members has grown dramatically since the program began. In fiscal year 2005, TMOP filled fewer than 11,000 prescriptions for deployed service members. In fiscal 2006 that number jumped to more than 19,000. Already in fiscal year 2007, deployed service members have filled more than 13,000 prescriptions through TMOP.

TMOP use in deployment also benefits the whole military medical system. Those 43,000 prescriptions mailed directly to service members didn’t have to go through the medical logistics system. That freed up significant resources at the theater military treatment facilities — resources that could be focused on care for sick and injured service members. And because TMOP is the most cost-effective and efficient method of supplying medicine, the military health system saves money too.