Common TRICARE Acronyms


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AD - Active Duty

ADFM - Active Duty Family Member

ADSM - Active Duty Service Member

AGR - Active Guard/Reserve

ASC - Ambulatory Surgery Center


BCAC - Beneficiary Counseling and Assistance Coordinator

BCAC - Beneficiary Counseling and Assistance Coordinators


CHAMPUS - Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (now called TRICARE)

CHAMPVA - Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Veterans Affairs (Veterans Affairs health care program for Medicare-eligible beneficiaries)

CHCBP - Continued Health Care Benefit Program

CMAC - CHAMPUS Maximum Allowable Charge

CMS - Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly HCFA)

COB - Coordination of Benefits

COE - Centers of Excellence

CONUS - Continental United States

CPT - [Physician’s] Current Procedural Terminology

CT - Computerized Tomography


DCAO - Debt Collections Assistance Officer

DEERS - Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System

DHHS - Department of Health and Human Services

DMDC - Defense Manpower Data Center

DME - Durable Medical Equipment

DoD - Department of Defense

DOS - Date of Service

DRG - Diagnosis-Related Group

DSO - Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) Support Office

DTF - Dental Treatment Facility

DVA - Department of Veterans Affairs


ECHO - Extended Care Health Option

EOB - Explanation of Benefits

EOI - Evidence of Insurability

ESRD - End-Stage Renal Disease


FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

FDA - Food and Drug Administration


HBA - Health Benefits Advisor

HCF - Health Care Finder

HCF - Health Care Finder

HCFA - Health Care Financing Administration (now CMS)

HCPCS - Health Care Procedure Coding System

HHS - Health and Human Services

HIPAA - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996

HMHS - Humana Military Healthcare Services

HMO - Health Maintenance Organization


ICD-9 - 9th International Congress in Diagnosis Codes

ID - Identification

IRR - Individual Ready Reserve

IV - Intravenous


MCSC - Managed Care Support Contractor

MHS - Military Health System

MMSO - Military Medical Support Office

MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging

MTF - Military Treatment Facility


NAS - Nonavailability Statement

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NCI - National Cancer Institute

NCQI - National Committee for Quality Assurance

NDAA - National Defense Authorization Act

NG - National Guard

NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NQMC - National Quality Monitoring Contractor


OCONUS - Outside the Continental United States (Overseas)

ODTF - Overseas Dental Treatment Facility

OHI - Other Health Insurance

OTC - Over-the-Counter


P&T - Pharmacy and Therapeutics

PCM - Primary Care Manager

PCP - Primary Care Physician

PDTS - Pharmacy Data Transaction Service

PFP - Partners for Peace

PFPWD - Program for Persons with Disabilities

PGBA - Palmetto Government Benefits Administration

PHP - Partial Hospitalization Program

PGBA - PGBA, LLC

PHS - Public Health Service

POC - Point of Contact

POS - Point-of-Service

PPO - Preferred Provider Organization (TRICARE Extra)


QA - Quality Assurance


RC - Reserve Component

RDP - Remote Dental Program

RTC - Residential Treatment Center


SNF - Skilled Nursing Facility

SPOC - Service Point of Contact

SSN - Social Security Number


TAMP - Transitional Assistance Management Program

TAO - TRICARE Area Office

TDEFIC - TRICARE Dual-Eligible Fiscal Intermediary Contract

TDP - TRICARE Dental Program

TFL - TRICARE For Life

THCDP - Transitional Health Care Demonstration Project

THCB - Transitional Health Care Benefit

TLAC - TRICARE Latin America and Canada

TMA - TRICARE Management Activity

TMOP - TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy

TOL - TRICARE Online

TPR - TRICARE Prime Remote

TPRADFM - TRICARE Prime Remote for Active Duty Family Members

TRDP - TRICARE Retiree Dental Program

TRO - TRICARE Regional Office

TRRx - TRICARE Retail Pharmacy Program

TSC - TRICARE Service Center

TSO - TRICARE Support Office


U.S. - United States

U.S.C. - United States Code

UCCI - United Concordia Companies, Inc.

USFHP - Uniformed Services Family Health Plan

USPHS - United States Public Health Service


VA Department of Veterans Affairs - short for DVA


WIC Women - Infants, and Children

WPS - Wisconsin Physicians Service