Many military families on the move rely on the TRICARE provider directory to secure care. But too often, that directory points beneficiaries to specialists who don’t take TRICARE, aren’t reachable, or aren’t even practicing. These inaccuracies are more than simple clerical errors – they can delay critical medical care.

The Senate Armed Services Committee’s (SASC) mark of the FY 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) takes an important step toward addressing this long-standing problem with a MOAA-supported provision (Section 705) that would strengthen oversight of TRICARE provider directories and help ensure military families can find the specialty care they need.

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The provision requires:

• The Defense Health Agency (DHA) to ensure future TRICARE contracts include requirements to improve provider directory accuracy.
• The DHA’s Inspector General to conduct recurring random tests of specialty provider directory information and report findings to Congress.
• The Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a holistic review of TRICARE provider directory accuracy.

The legislation also requires a mechanism that allows TRICARE beneficiaries to report inaccuracies to the TRICARE managed care support contractor.

Addressing a Critical Need

Reliable directories allow families to find the medical care they need and are especially important for military families who relocate every few years. Each PCS move means reestablishing health care – military families rely on the TRICARE provider directory as their starting point. When that information is outdated or inaccurate, valuable time can be lost while beneficiaries make repeated phone calls searching for providers. For active duty families balancing deployments, training schedules, and frequent moves, those delays bring unnecessary stress during already challenging transitions.

These challenges are magnified for families enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) who often must identify and reestablish care across several medical specialties. For these families, provider directory errors can contribute to avoidable disruptions in critical medical care during military moves.

Section 705 builds on years of oversight that have documented serious shortcomings in TRICARE provider directories. A 2020 GAO report highlighted widespread inaccuracies in TRICARE’s directory of eating disorder providers, raising concerns about beneficiaries’ ability to access timely, specialized care. More recently, another GAO review found many mental health provider listings had inaccurate or outdated information, making it more difficult for military families to find behavioral health services.

MOAA appreciates the leadership of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) in advancing this provision as part of the SASC’s version of the FY 2027 NDAA and her longtime focus on improving access to health care for servicemembers and military families.

As Congress works to finalize the FY 2027 NDAA, please join MOAA in urging lawmakers to retain Section 705 in the final legislation to help ensure military families have a TRICARE provider directory they can trust.