The fiscal year 2002 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), signed into law by President Bush on Dec. 28, 2001, authorizes travel orders and reimbursement for one non-medical attendant to accompany a non-active duty TRICARE Prime patient referred for medically necessary specialty care more than 100 miles from the patient's primary care manager location. The non-medical attendant travel benefit will be implemented April 1, 2002, and will be retroactive to Dec. 28, 2001.

The non-medical attendant must be a parent or guardian of the traveling non-active duty TRICARE Prime patient. The non-medical attendant may also be another adult who is a member of the patient's family. The parent or guardian is not required to be age 21, but if the non-medical attendant is not the parent or guardian, he or she must be age 21 or older. The military treatment facility or lead agent office, in coordination with the TRICARE Prime patient's primary care manager, is responsible for determining if the requirement for a non-medical attendant exists and issuing the appropriate travel orders. 

If the non-medical attendant parent, guardian, or adult family member is an active duty member, or a Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employee, he or she is entitled to temporary duty (TDY) allowances (per diem and mileage), not actual expenses. If the non-medical attendant parent, guardian, or adult family member is a civilian not affiliated or employed with DoD, he or she is authorized reimbursement of actual travel expenses up to the government rate.  Actual expenses for gas; oil; highway, bridge and tunnel tolls; and parking fees are authorized up to the government rate for transportation. Non-medical attendants also are authorized reimbursement (within limits) for other expenses related to travel such as lodging (including taxes and service charges) and the cost of meals (including taxes and tips, but not including alcoholic beverages).