Tricare: timely filing limit
Initial claim
1 year from the date of service, or from the date of discharge for inpatient care, for claims filed within the United States; overseas claims have a 3-year limit
Clock starts from: date of service or inpatient discharge date
Appeal window
No published default appeal window. Check the payer's own appeals policy.
Caveats
Confirmed directly on the official TRICARE claims filing deadline page. Dental and pharmacy claims are also stated as 1 year from date of service. The Tricare regional contractor (for example TriWest in the West Region) may offer a timely filing waiver process if documented conditions prevented on-time submission.
Retrieved 2026-07-18.
Denied for timely filing already
See CARC 29 for the corrective actions and whether an appeal is worth filing.
DenialPath provides billing and administrative guidance based on published CMS and X12 sources. It is not medical advice, not a coverage determination, and not a guarantee of payment. NCCI and MUE edits are republished quarterly and payer policies vary by contract. Always confirm against the payer's own current policy before submitting or appealing.