Tricare has covered Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation since 2016 for qualifying beneficiaries. Mind Spa is in network with Tricare West and submits your prior authorization for you. Here is who qualifies, which plans are eligible, and what it costs.
The medication-history requirement is where most people have questions. If you have tried antidepressants that did not work, that history supports your case, and our team helps you document it properly during intake. Coverage decisions always rest with Tricare and the evaluation of a licensed psychiatric provider.
| Plan | Referral Needed To Be Seen At Mind Spa? | TMS Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| Tricare Prime | Yes, from your Primary Care Manager | Eligible |
| Tricare Select | Generally no | Eligible |
| Tricare Reserve Select | Generally no | Eligible |
| Tricare For Life | Follows Medicare rules, generally no | TMS covered through Medicare with Tricare For Life as secondary; not eligible for the Tricare Preferred Program |
Referral rules can vary with your specific situation, such as active duty status. If you are not sure what your plan requires, call 303-327-0350 and we will tell you in one conversation.
You are responsible for your plan's standard Tricare copays for TMS sessions and related psychiatric visits. Mind Spa verifies your benefits and reviews your expected costs with you before treatment begins, and there are no program fees on top. For a fuller picture of TMS pricing with and without insurance, see How Much Does TMS Cost In Denver.
These two get confused constantly, so here is the clean distinction:
Step 1: The referral to Mind Spa. This is permission to be seen by a mental health provider at all, and whether you need one depends on your plan. Tricare Prime members need a referral from their Primary Care Manager before their first appointment. Tricare Select and Reserve Select members can generally book directly with an in-network provider like Mind Spa without one. Tricare For Life follows Medicare rules, which generally do not require a referral. If a referral is needed, it happens before your first visit, and it comes from your primary care provider, not from us.
Step 2: The TMS prior authorization. This is Tricare's approval of the TMS treatment itself, and it is required on every plan, no matter how you got in the door. It happens after your psychiatric evaluation at Mind Spa, it is built on your diagnosis and treatment history, and our team prepares and submits it to Tricare for you. Approval typically takes about two weeks, and we confirm it before your first TMS session so there are no coverage surprises.
In short: the referral gets you to Mind Spa, the prior authorization gets you TMS, and the only one you might have to arrange yourself is the first, with your primary care provider, if you are on Prime.
For qualifying veterans, service members, and family members on Tricare Prime, Select, or Reserve Select, Tricare-covered TMS serves as the foundation of Mind Spa's Tricare Preferred Program: a seven-week protocol that pairs 36 TMS treatments with 6 ketamine infusions enhanced with vibroacoustic sound therapy and 36 hard-sided 2.0 ATA hyperbaric oxygen sessions, provided at no additional cost within the program, plus culturally competent talk therapy upon request. Each treatment works on depression, PTSD, and TBI in a different way; together they reach further than any one of them alone.
One call. We check your plan, your criteria, and your referral requirements.
Coverage criteria are set by Tricare, Medicare, and applicable plans and may change; eligibility is determined by the payer and the medical decision-making of a licensed psychiatric provider. Patients are responsible for standard copays and cost shares under their plan. Tricare For Life is not eligible for the Tricare Preferred Program. Individual results vary and are not guaranteed.
