Congresswoman Elaine Luria, D-Va., is urging House leadership to temporarily eliminate copays for mail-order prescription drugs through TRICARE.
In a letter to House leaders on Monday, Luria argued temporarily eliminating the copays would allow TRICARE beneficiaries to access their medication at no out-of-pocket cost, while practicing social distancing.
“While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends staying home and practicing social distancing, TRICARE should similarly incentivize people to follow these guidelines,” Luria wrote. “An easy way to keep people in their home is to temporarily eliminate the copay for mail order drugs, making the cost the same no matter how the beneficiary receives their medication. Service members, retirees, and their families would no longer need to choose between staying safe and accessing prescription drugs without a copay.”
Section 702 of the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization act adjusted pharmacy copayments for 2018 through 2027. In 2020, the copay for a 90-day supply of a generic drug is $10 and $29 for a 90-day supply of a brand name drug. However, if a beneficiary picks up their prescription from a Military Treatment Facility, there will be no out of pocket cost.
By temporarily eliminating the copay for mail order prescription drugs through TRICARE, beneficiaries will no longer need to visit a Military Treatment Facility to access their prescription drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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