Data Transfer Error Leaves Thousands Without Tricare Coverage

During a data transfer on October 25, 2024, the Defense Health Agency made a critical error that led to 16,000 beneficiaries being mistakenly removed from the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System. This disruption temporarily affected retirees and family members from the Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health Service. As a result, affected personnel faced uncertainty regarding their health care benefits over the weekend. The Coast Guard quickly communicated with the Defense Manpower Data Center to resolve the issue, estimating a resolution timeline of 48 to 72 hours. By Sunday, most beneficiaries had their eligibility restored. Despite the confusion, officials reassured that patients would still be eligible for care and would be reimbursed for any incurred expenses during the outage. The incident highlighted the complexities of the ongoing transition for new Tricare regional contracts scheduled to start on January 1, 2025, with management transferring from Humana Military to TriWest Healthcare Alliance for certain regions. Affected beneficiaries were encouraged to verify their enrollment status and seek necessary medical care regardless of their temporary eligibility loss.