Changes Coming to TRICARE Pharmacy Benefit Published Sept. 3, 2015 OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- A new law going into effect Oct. 1 requires most TRICARE beneficiaries to get brand name maintenance drugs from TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery or a military pharmacy. If beneficiaries keep using a retail pharmacy for these drugs, they will have to pay the full cost. Active duty service members are exempt from the law's requirement. Maintenance drugs are those you take regularly for a long time, such as drugs to control blood pressure or cholesterol. The law doesn't apply to drugs you take for a short time, like antibiotics, or generic drugs. The law also doesn't apply to beneficiaries living overseas, or who have another insurance plan with prescription drug coverage. "Your Offutt AFB pharmacy is a great place to fill maintenance medications. You may obtain up to a 90-day supply, and there's no cost for TRICARE beneficiaries," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Liz Howarth, Pharmacy Flight commander. Beneficiaries affected by the change will soon get letters from Express Scripts, Inc., the TRICARE pharmacy contractor. These letters will tell beneficiaries they are taking an affected drug, and explain their options. Beneficiaries can also call Express Scripts at 1-877-363-1303 to see if they are affected. After Oct. 1, Express Scripts will send another letter to beneficiaries who continue using a retail pharmacy for affected drugs. After that, beneficiaries have one more chance to fill these prescriptions at a retail pharmacy before they have to pay 100 percent of the cost of their medication. TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery is a safe, convenient and low cost option to get maintenance drugs. You can get up to a 90-day supply, as opposed to a 30-day supply from a retail pharmacy, and offers a $176 savings per year on your copayments for every brand name drug you switch to home delivery. For more information about this change to TRICARE's pharmacy benefit, visit www.tricare.mil/RxNewRules.