Told that I must be in status to use MTF

[Chida]

Question for medical folks. I have been told and I have read (in newsletters from ARPC and the medical community) an unattributed saying which is repeated quite regularly such that no one questions it. That saying is "You must be in a military status to use the MTF." I do not believe this is correct nowadays. The reason is because I have Tricare Reserve Select regardless of my military status, something that was not possible before around 2005 or so.

TRS is basically Tricare Standard and people on Tricare *can* use the MTF on a space-available basis. How is it determined if space is available? No one can tell me that either. Their go-to is that space is unavailable. Easier to say "no" than to actually have to do something. So any docs or clinicians that can help me out with this and give me AFI references to support these two aphorisms, I'll appreciate it.

[yatalpan]

Try talking to the MTF Beneficiary Counseling and Assistance Coordinator (BCAC).

[matmacwc]

Generally have to be an established/accepted patient before you show up.  I had to be on orders or a pay period to go, TRS should allow you to go to regular doctors/hospitals.