Triwest awarded third Tricare contract

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PHOENIX --  Triwest Healthcare Alliance today was awarded the contract to continue providing military families access to health care and manage the 21-state Tricare West Region for the Department of Defense July 13.

The contract enables Triwest to continue to support the DOD in meeting the health care needs of 2.7 million active-duty people, their families and retirees. The contract includes a transition period, plus five one-year option periods for healthcare delivery beginning April 1, 2010.

"It has been our great honor and privilege to serve the healthcare needs for those who sacrifice so much in defense of freedom, and we are pleased that the Department of Defense has selected us again for this critical work," said David McIntyre Jr., Triwest's president and chief executive officer. "Being awarded our third TRICARE contract is a testament to the focus we have placed on customer service, bringing more than 145,000 high-quality providers into the West Region network through the work of our world-class non-profit owner organizations, and our stewardship of taxpayer dollars in doing what's right for the beneficiaries of this program. Just as we've done for the past 13 years, we are committed in this new contract to working alongside our civilian and military counterparts across the system to ensure access to high-quality health care and improve an already strong Tricare program for America's military family."

The Tricare West Region includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, western Texas, Washington and Wyoming.

Triwest's corporate headquarters will remain in Phoenix. Primary hub offices are located in Tacoma, Colorado Springs, San Diego, Honolulu and Anchorage.

Partnering with Triwest is Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation, a premier claims processor for government programs, which will continue to provide claims processing and systems support for Triwest in the Tricare program.

Triwest Healthcare Alliance continues as the largest Arizona-based DOD contractor, given the award of this $16 billion contract. It employs approximately 1,900 people throughout the TRICARE West Region. The company is owned by Triwest Alliance, a holding company comprised of 15 not-for-profit health care organizations and two university hospital systems located throughout the Tricare West Region. These organizations oversee the company's governance and build Triwest's network of local providers to serve military families seeking care outside military treatment facilities.