Everyone deserves good mental and physical health. Current and former military members have a history of providing the country with protection while serving proudly both in the U.S. and abroad. When these women and men find themselves in need of treatment, including mental healthcare services, they often find themselves unsure of the options available to them. There are definition differences between Tricare vs TriWest. They provide valuable and complex treatment services for current and former military members. If you need help determining how to use your benefits and which program will provide you with the exact care you need, let us help you sort through it all. Renewal Oasis offers highly effective and multi-disciplinary care in both residential and outpatient programs.
What is TRICARE?
The first step to understanding the difference between Tricare vs TriWest is to define what each insurance plan entails. Tricare is an insurance company serving over 9 million people, including military members, retirees, and their families. This includes receiving treatment in places like military hospitals and clinics, dental facilities, and more. Care may include residential treatment, outpatient treatment, and counseling. Tricare offers plans for healthcare, dental coverage, and prescription medications. Before 1996, Tricare was called the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS).
What is TriWest?
TriWest is a third-party administrator for regions 4 and 5 of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Care programs. Created in 2014, it provides coverage for military veterans who were honorably discharged, as well as certain members of the National Guard and Reserves.
If a person’s VA facility does not provide the services the individual requires, TriWest can step in and provide eligible veterans with the help they need within their communities. To qualify for TriWest, the person must meet one of the following six criteria:
- Requires a service not available through a local VA health facility.
- The state the person resides in does not have a full-service VA facility.
- The individual previously qualified under the 40-mile distance requirement and still lives in the same location.
- The VA is unable to provide necessary care within acceptable standards of drive and wait times.
- An agreement between the individual and their VA provider that receiving in-network care is in their best medical interest.
- The VA cannot provide the necessary service in a manner that meets their quality standards.
Similarities Between TRICARE vs TriWest
Both Tricare and TriWest focus on past and present members of the military community. They know that the brave women and men that ensure the safety of our country deserve the best mental health treatment available.
Both Tricare and TriWest offer help for:
- PTSD
- Other trauma-based mental illnesses
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Suicidal thoughts and feelings
- Mood disorders
- Thought disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar disorder
In addition, some members can quality for programs that treat dual diagnosis. This is the presence of both a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder. This proves important because a large number of people with military experience end up trapped in a cycle of addiction to drugs or alcohol and need help for that along with their mental health.
Differences Between TRICARE vs TriWest
The differences between Tricare vs TriWest isn’t as difficult to ascertain as a person might imagine. Tricare provides coverage for active duty service members, retirees, and the families of both. To receiver Tricare coverage, a person must be one of the following:
- Active duty service member
- Qualified dependents of active duty service members (spouses or unmarried children under age 21, or age 23 if they are in college)
- Retired military personnel. Usually, this means they served 20 or more years. Spouses are also covered.
Coverage for TriWest is available for:
- Military veterans who served a minimum of two consecutive years or the full duration of their enlistment period and were not dishonorably discharged.
- Retired members of the National Guard or the Reserves if they were called on active duty for a specific period of time
Moreover, Tricare members can get treatment at military-operated facilities or authorized civilian providers. Meanwhile, those with TriWest go for treatment at VA-operated hospitals or pre-approved civilian facilities.
Using TRICARE or TriWest for Mental Health Treatment
Whether you have Tricare vs TriWest, Renewal Oasis can provide valuable treatment for mental health disorders. To begin with, We match you with one of the following levels of care that will best suit your specific treatment goals:
- Residential Treatment
- Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
- Outpatient Program (OP)
In addition, Your treatment specialist will also go over your options for prescription medications that help minimize the symptoms of poor mental health.
Verify Your TRICARE or TriWest Insurance for Mental Health Treatment at Renewal
Do you want to explore your options for mental health treatment, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder and more? If so, Renewal Oasis can help you determine if you are covered by Tricare vs TriWest, and how we can help you improve your mental health.
Furthermore, we offer multiple types of therapy designed to help you disarm triggers and, over time, empower yourself so that your mental illness no longer controls you.
So, why wait?, Contact us today to find out more about our residential and outpatient programs. Let today be the day you reach out for the help you so richly deserve.
Published: 2/4/2025