Millions of people belong to the U.S. military community and among these service members and Veterans are also family members entitled to benefits, such as TRICARE. In America, there are more than 10,000 urgent care centers providing convenient healthcare services when families need them most. However, understanding your TRICARE urgent care coverage is important to avoid unnecessary healthcare costs. Learn more about what’s available and how to access affordable healthcare with your benefits.

Suggested read: Military Travel Benefits for Disabled Veterans: Find Out What's Available

Does TRICARE Cover Urgent Care?

Yes, TRICARE urgent care coverage is available for situations involving illnesses and injuries that require attention quickly but don’t warrant an emergency room visit.

While emergency rooms are there for more severe issues, urgent care can be used for the treatment of ailments that aren’t going to threaten the loss of your eyesight, a limb, or your life.

You can also use urgent care centers if you have an ailment that will get worse if not treated. For example, if you believe you have the flu or a sprained/broken bone.

TRICARE urgent care coverage is available for approved centers. In most cases, this means you’ll need treatment within a 24-hour timeframe and won’t have to travel over 30 minutes to receive care.

Related read: Time to PCS? Be Sure to Lean on Your Military Sponsor

Can Active Duty Military Go to Urgent Care?

Not only can active duty members use TRICARE for urgent care, but so too can Veterans and eligible family members. However, it depends on how you qualify for a TRICARE Prime Plan will impact your benefits. For example:

• Active duty service members living in a TRICARE Prime Service Area will need to receive healthcare at military hospitals and clinics or call TRICARE’s Nurse Advice Line at 1-800-TRICARE (874-2273).
• Retirees, their family members, and active duty service members with TRICARE Prime Remote can receive treatment from urgent cares that are authorized centers or network providers.
• Family members of active duty enrollees don’t need a referral for urgent care treatment.

For those with other plans, such as TRICARE Select who are an active duty family member, referrals for urgent care aren’t necessary. For retirees and their family members, urgent care is available from authorized centers and network providers.

Affordable TRICARE Urgent Care Services for Military Families

It’s no secret that healthcare continues to be a pressing issue for families and with the extra variables that can come with military life, such as moving, finding the right clinic can be a difficult decision.

NextCare continues to help provide affordable healthcare with expertise and compassion to families across the country.

Their team can be found at more than 170 clinics across Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, and Wyoming, offering exceptional service.

If you’re in the military community and use TRICARE benefits, you and your family can receive the healthcare you deserve with one of the nation’s leading urgent care and occupational medical service providers.

Best of all, NextCare accepts all TRICARE plans, meaning you can receive trusted care at any of the NextCare brands, including:

• Access Medical Centers
• Impact Urgent Care
• Michigan Urgent Care
• NextCare Urgent Care
• PrimaCare Medical Centers
• Twin Fountains Medical Clinics

Respectable, affordable healthcare from people who care is what everyone deserves. Use your TRICARE benefits and find a NextCare location near you for healthcare you can trust.

Read next: How To Use Your TRICARE Benefits For Teen Psychiatric Treatment

This article is a result of a collaboration with NextCare.