How to check TRICARE East eligibility
A portal or phone check takes a front-desk staffer 10–15 minutes per patient. A real-time 270/271 check returns plan status, copays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums in seconds.
- Payer ID
99727 - Real-time 270/271
- TRICARE
Three ways to verify TRICARE East coverage
- Payer portal — free, but one patient at a time and 10–15 minutes each with logins.
- Phone (IVR) — hold times vary; no written record for the chart.
Automated 270/271 check
Full benefit detail in seconds, batched for your whole schedule — not one patient at a time.
From $0.50 per check, pay-as-you-go.
TRICARE East at a glance
What billers need before running a check.
Payer ID
99727Also known as 11218, 1253, 2872, 68299Real-time eligibility
AvailableResponses return in seconds, 24/7.Coverage
dental, medical, visionTRICAREOperating area
33 statesAL, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN…Payer website
Supported transactions
What can be exchanged electronically with TRICARE East today.
Eligibility (270/271)
SUPPORTEDReal-time benefit and coverage checksClaim status (276/277)
SUPPORTEDWhere a submitted claim standsProfessional claims (837P)
ENROLLMENT REQUIREDPhysician and outpatient claimsInstitutional claims (837I)
ENROLLMENT REQUIREDFacility claimsDental claims (837D)
NOT AVAILABLEDental claimsRemittance (835 ERA)
ENROLLMENT REQUIREDElectronic remittance adviceCoordination of benefits
NOT AVAILABLESecondary-payer routingClaim attachments (275)
NOT AVAILABLESupporting documentation
Portal vs. phone vs. automated
The same verification, three ways.
| Measure | Payer portal | Phone / IVR | Automated check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time per patient | 10–15 min | 15–30 min | Seconds |
| Cost per check | Staff time, one login per patient | ~$8.57 in staff time* | from $0.50 |
| Record for the chart | Screenshot | None | Full audit trail |
| Whole-day schedule | One at a time | One at a time | Batched overnight |
*A manual eligibility check costs a medical practice $8.57; an electronic one costs $2.00. Source: 2024 CAQH Index.
What Medman does in practices today
- 65%
fewer denials at Valley Diabetes & Obesity
- 90%
of eligibility checks fully automated
- $107–149K
annual savings, small specialty practice
- 24 mo
in production
Frequently asked questions
What is the payer ID for TRICARE East?
TRICARE East uses payer ID 99727. It also appears as 11218, 1253, 2872, 68299 in some systems.
Does TRICARE East support real-time eligibility verification?
Yes. TRICARE East accepts real-time 270/271 eligibility transactions, so a check returns plan status and benefit detail in seconds instead of the 10–15 minutes a portal login takes.
How long does a TRICARE East eligibility check take?
A portal check takes 10–15 minutes of staff time per patient. An automated real-time check returns in seconds and can run for an entire day's schedule overnight.
Run your first TRICARE East eligibility check
From $0.50 per check, pay-as-you-go. No annual contract, no implementation project.
Billing more than TRICARE East? — upload it and see which of your payers run automatically.