On Feb. 5, the Defense Health Agency and TRICARE announced the start of a health care awareness campaign in the National Capital Region. Planned through May 2024, the program is titled Unlock Your Health. The campaign focuses on helping TRICARE beneficiaries understand health care services available to them and how to access care through the NCR’s military hospitals and clinics.

"We developed Unlock Your Health based on patient feedback and the questions they ask most often. Our goal with the program is to help beneficiaries learn about topics that are common to getting health care,” said Brig. Gen. Deydre Teyhen, director, National Capital Region of the Defense Health Agency. “We designed Unlock Your Health to positively affect your access to care and the entire patient experience. Patients can look forward to learning about all their care options and what’s available to them.”

The Defense Health Agency is reaching out directly to beneficiaries through improved patient communications, guidance that’s easy to understand, and creating a smooth process to appointment making.

Are you wondering how the campaign will roll out and what you’ll learn? Unlock Your Health targets TRICARE beneficiaries in the NCR in four phases.

Getting started

The first phase of the pilot campaign introduces you to some of the basics of getting started with TRICARE. You’ll learn about enrolling in a plan, making appointments, and how referrals work.

Exploring other covered services and options

Throughout March, the initial campaign will highlight the increased access to care options TRICARE offers you and your family. Look for communications materials that will help you understand how to get care via emergency room services, urgent care clinics, Doctors on Demand, and telemedicine. The second phase will also promote the services the MHS Nurse Advice Line offers.

Finding health care services

Phase three will provide an overview of how you can get important health care screenings, care, and preventive services. In April, you’ll find out about pharmacy, radiology, lab, and immunization services.

Using available resources

The final phase of Unlock Your Health will offer ways you can find the support you need, when you need it. You’ll learn to access tools that help you become a more aware military health care consumer. These resources include the Beneficiary Counseling and Assistance Coordinators (BCACs), Debt Collection Assistance Officers (DCAOs), Patient Advocates, and the JOES Patient Satisfaction Survey.