Double time for TRICARE authorizations and referrals Published Aug. 4, 2009 By Bonnie Thomas TriWest Healthcare Alliance PHOENIX -- Beginning Aug. 4, TRICARE authorizations for care that include evaluation and treatment are good for 180 days. That's twice the 90 days that were allowed previously, giving you more time to complete your care and any follow-up visits. Remember, if you do not receive care before the authorization expires, you will need to get a new authorization. Please note that this change isn't effective for all authorizations. Some, like maternity authorizations, will be longer than 180 days, and some, such as physical therapy authorizations, will be shorter. If you are registered at www.triwest.com, you can receive QuickAlert notifications by e-mail or phone once your authorizations or referrals have been processed. That means you can schedule specialty care appointments seven to 10 days sooner than if you wait for notification by mail. To protect your privacy, no personal information will be included in the e-mail -- just a notice of an authorization status change and a link to the secured login page on www.triwest.com for more information. Not registered? It's easy. Just follow the prompts and start managing your health care online, anytime, from any internet connection. Visit the Authorizations and Referral page at www.triwest.com/beneficiary/authRef.aspx for additional information.