Changes to TRICARE Prime Service Areas Published Feb. 20, 2013 By TRICARE Public Affairs EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Prime Service Areas are geographic areas where TRICARE Prime is offered. These PSAs were created to ensure the medical readiness of the active duty force by augmenting the capability of military hospitals and clinics. Effective Oct. 1, 2013, TRICARE Prime will no longer be available to beneficiaries living in certain areas of the United States that are not in close proximity and have never augmented care around military hospitals or clinics. This change will not impact any beneficiaries enrolled to the 412th Medical Group, but could impact those that move to an area where the PSA is being eliminated. This change will not affect Active Duty or Guard/Reserve personnel activated for greater than 30 days as they are covered under TRICARE Prime Remote if they are stationed at a location outside of a PSA. Active Duty Family Members residing in a PSA that is being eliminated will remain in Prime until they move outside the eliminated PSA or lose TRICARE eligibility. Those moving into an eliminated PSA prior to Oct. 1, 2013, can transfer their Prime enrollment and maintain their same coverage as long as they remain eligible. No 'new' enrollments to the eliminated PSAs are allowed after March 31, 2013. Other Prime enrollees (retirees, retiree family members, survivors, TRICARE Young Adult, etc.) residing in an eliminated PSA will no longer be eligible for Prime and will be notified by TRICARE of the options available to them. All beneficiaries in the affected PSAs will be notified by TRICARE of the impending changes by the end of February. For any questions concerning PSA changes, please contact Managed Care at (661) 277-6969 or visit www.tricare.mil.