Got a referral?

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Wesley Wright
  • Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE --  The 5th Medical Group and TRICARE office here is committed to ensuring Airmen and their families have access to every medical resource they need.

The referral process is one tool the Air Force uses to ensure this happens and base TRICARE officials are stressing the importance of obtaining a referral before going to a doctor off-base.

"If you're going downtown for anything other than an emergency, you must have an authorization," said Thomas Melvin, 5th Medical Group TRICARE beneficiaries counselor. "If you don't get a referral you are going to wind up paying for it."

Emergencies, however, are different. Individuals do not need a referral to visit the emergency room at Trinity Hospital if they have a legitimate emergency.

The 5th Medical Group and TRICARE work together to ensure beneficiaries have a way to get a referral 24/7.

"For urgent care situations you can call 723-5633; option 1," Mr. Melvin said. "Option 1 connects you to the Medical Group for appointments in the clinic. If there are no appointments available, the appointment clerk will provide you with information and authorization to be seen at an urgent care facility downtown."

Option 3 connects people to CareNet, a new nurse advice line offering in-home care advice, and can also provide urgent care authorization after normal medical group hours of operations. CareNet is a contracted agency that provides 24/7 advice.

"Regardless of which option people use, their authorization is only good for one appointment and expires after 24 hours," Mr. Melvin said. "Additional appointments for follow-up care must be authorized. If the follow-up care requires referral to a specialist, authorization must be given."

Mr. Melvin also said that a good rule of thumb is to remember if anyone has doubts or concerns about whether or not they are authorized to seek care downtown, they should always call the 723-5633 authorization line first.

For more information on the referral process or general TRICARE questions, contact 723-5176 or visit the TRICARE offices located on the 3rd floor of the medical group.