Clinically reviewed by Marie Hankins-Lennox, PMHNP-BC · Last reviewed: 2026-05-26

MindSpa Accepts TRICARE for Mental Health Care in Florida: Therapy, Medication Management, and Telehealth

Clinically reviewed by Marie Hankins-Lennox, PMHNP-BC, Founder, MindSpa Psychiatry & Therapy Last reviewed: May 26, 2026

Medical disclaimer: This page is for general information about mental health services covered by TRICARE. It is not medical, legal, or career advice. Coverage details vary by plan. Verify your specific benefits at TRICARE.mil or by calling your plan directly. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Veterans press 1) or call 911.

Yes, MindSpa Psychiatry & Therapy accepts TRICARE for mental health care in Florida. If you are an active-duty service member, a veteran, a retiree, or a military family member, you can use your TRICARE benefits for psychiatric evaluations, medication management, individual therapy, and PTSD treatment with our team, almost entirely through telehealth across the state. This page explains which TRICARE plans we work with, what services are covered, how telehealth visits work in practice, and how to book your first appointment. We also address the question most active-duty members ask before they pick up the phone: does seeking mental health care affect your military service or security clearance?

[IMAGE: Veteran on a couch using a laptop for a private telehealth visit. Alt: TRICARE beneficiary in Florida starting a telehealth mental health appointment with MindSpa.]

Does MindSpa Accept TRICARE?

Yes. MindSpa is in-network with TRICARE for outpatient mental health services across Florida. That means your visits with our nurse practitioners count toward your TRICARE benefit the same way any in-network mental health visit does.

We see beneficiaries on the major TRICARE plans, including:

  • TRICARE Prime (active duty, active-duty family, some retirees)
  • TRICARE Select (self-managed plan for family and retirees)
  • TRICARE For Life (Medicare-eligible retirees and family)
  • TRICARE Reserve Select and TRICARE Retired Reserve

Coverage rules differ by plan. For example, TRICARE Prime usually routes care through your Primary Care Manager, while TRICARE Select generally lets you see an in-network outpatient mental health provider without a referral. We will confirm your specific plan during intake. If you ever fall into a coverage gap, our self-pay rate is $200 for an initial evaluation and $150 for follow-ups, and we can hold that rate while you sort out paperwork.

Verify before you book: Coverage details vary by plan and region. Confirm your benefits at TRICARE.mil or by calling the number on the back of your TRICARE card.

Call 561-576-9404 to confirm your TRICARE plan is accepted. Hours: Mon to Fri, 9AM to 5:30PM. After hours, use our online appointment request form.

What Mental Health Services Does TRICARE Cover?

TRICARE covers a broad range of medically and psychologically necessary mental health care. At MindSpa, the services most relevant to TRICARE beneficiaries are:

Mental health evaluations. A full initial assessment with one of our PMHNPs, usually 50 to 60 minutes, to clarify diagnosis and build a treatment plan.

Medication management. Ongoing prescribing and monitoring for conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, insomnia, OCD, and mood disorders. Florida-licensed prescribers; refills handled inside the same telehealth relationship.

Individual therapy. Including evidence-based approaches that TRICARE recognizes for trauma and anxiety, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Prolonged Exposure (PE).

PTSD treatment. TRICARE covers PTSD care, including the trauma-focused therapies above and medication when clinically appropriate. See our page on PTSD treatment in Florida for how we structure that care.

Telehealth visits. TRICARE covers outpatient mental health care delivered by secure video. That has been a permanent expansion of TRICARE benefits, not a temporary pandemic policy.

What TRICARE generally does not cover at our practice: court-ordered evaluations outside of clinical care, fitness-for-duty exams, and certain custody or forensic assessments. If you are unsure whether your situation qualifies, call us before booking and we will tell you straight.

How TRICARE Telehealth Mental Health Works in Florida

MindSpa is a 100% telehealth practice. Your visits happen by secure, HIPAA-compliant video from wherever you are in Florida, whether that is base housing near MacDill, a home in Palm Beach County, or a hotel during a PCS move.

Does TRICARE cover online therapy and psychiatry?

Yes. TRICARE covers outpatient mental health visits delivered through telehealth at the same cost-share level as in-person visits, as long as the provider is in-network and licensed in the state where you are physically located during the visit. Our team is licensed in Florida.

Do you need a referral for mental health care under TRICARE?

It depends on the plan. TRICARE Select beneficiaries generally do not need a referral to see an in-network outpatient mental health provider. TRICARE Prime beneficiaries usually do, although TRICARE has specific rules that allow some outpatient mental health visits without a Primary Care Manager referral. We will check your plan during intake. If a referral is needed, we will tell you exactly what to ask your PCM for.

What are TRICARE co-pays for mental health?

Co-pays vary by plan, sponsor status (active duty, family, retiree), and enrollment year. Active-duty members typically pay $0 for in-network outpatient mental health visits. Family members and retirees on Select or For Life have a defined cost-share. Because these amounts change annually and depend on your specific plan, the only honest answer is: confirm your current cost-share at TRICARE.mil or by calling your plan. We will not guess at a number that may be wrong for your situation.

Conditions We Treat for TRICARE Beneficiaries

TRICARE coverage at MindSpa extends to the conditions our team treats most often:

If you are not sure which of these fits what you are experiencing, that is what the first appointment is for.

Military Culture and Mental Health: The Real Barrier

A lot of the veterans we see waited years before getting help. Not because they did not need it. Because in most military cultures, needing it still feels like weakness, and asking for it feels like breaking something you spent a career holding together.

We are not going to pretend that wears off the moment you call us. It does not. What we can say is that the people on our team have worked with service members, military families, and veterans long enough to know that “I’m fine” is sometimes a complete sentence and sometimes a whole language. We are not going to push. We are also not going to nod along while you talk yourself out of care you came here looking for.

Telehealth helps with this for a specific reason. You do not have to sit in a waiting room. You do not have to run into someone from your unit at the front desk. You log in from your own space, and the visit ends when the visit ends. For active-duty members, military spouses, and veterans who have spent years inside a culture where privacy is rare, that matters.

Does seeking mental health care affect security clearance?

This is the question that keeps active-duty members from calling. Here is the honest, non-legal version of the answer.

For most service members, voluntary mental health care sought through a civilian provider does not, by itself, trigger mandatory reporting or jeopardize a security clearance. SF-86 Question 21 has been narrowed over the years specifically to encourage service members to seek care. Many forms of counseling, including treatment for combat-related conditions, marital and family counseling, and grief counseling, do not have to be reported. The Department of Defense has stated for more than a decade that seeking mental health treatment is generally viewed as a sign of good judgment, not disqualifying.

That is the general rule. Specific situations vary by your role, command, clearance level, position-specific requirements, and any current investigations. We are a mental health practice, not a JAG office, and we are not the right source for legal or career advice on this question.

If you need certainty before you call, two reliable starting points are:

  • The Department of Defense’s official guidance on mental health and security clearance
  • A consultation with your installation’s JAG office or your service-branch legal assistance

What we will tell you plainly: there are far more service members who quietly suffered for years out of fear of a paperwork question than service members who lost a clearance because they got help.

How to Book Your TRICARE-Covered Appointment

The path from “thinking about it” to “first appointment” is short:

  1. Call 561-576-9404 or submit an online appointment request. Tell us you are using TRICARE and which plan.
  2. We verify your TRICARE benefits and any referral requirement before your appointment, so there are no surprises.
  3. You complete a brief intake form online.
  4. You meet your PMHNP by secure video for your initial evaluation. Plan on 50 to 60 minutes.
  5. You leave the first visit with a working diagnosis (if appropriate), a treatment plan, and, where indicated, a prescription sent to your pharmacy.

What to bring to your first TRICARE mental health appointment

  • Your TRICARE card and sponsor information
  • A list of current medications and dosages
  • Any prior mental health records, evaluations, or VA documentation you can share
  • A quiet, private space and a working camera and microphone

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does TRICARE cover telehealth psychiatry in Florida? A: Yes. TRICARE covers outpatient mental health visits delivered by secure video from an in-network provider licensed in your state. MindSpa is in-network and licensed in Florida.

Q: Do I need a referral for mental health care under TRICARE? A: TRICARE Select beneficiaries generally do not need a referral for in-network outpatient mental health care. TRICARE Prime usually does, although certain mental health visits are allowed without one. We will check your specific plan during intake.

Q: Is PTSD therapy covered by TRICARE? A: Yes. TRICARE covers PTSD treatment, including evidence-based therapies such as CPT and Prolonged Exposure, and medication when clinically appropriate. See our PTSD treatment in Florida page.

Q: Does seeking mental health care affect military service or security clearance? A: For most service members, voluntary civilian mental health care does not, by itself, trigger mandatory reporting or disqualify you from a clearance. SF-86 Question 21 has been narrowed to encourage care. Specifics depend on your role and situation. For legal questions, contact your installation JAG or service-branch legal assistance.

Q: What TRICARE plans does MindSpa accept? A: TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Select, TRICARE For Life, TRICARE Reserve Select, and TRICARE Retired Reserve. Call 561-576-9404 to verify your specific plan.

Q: I am between assignments and my TRICARE is in transition. Can I still be seen? A: Yes. We offer self-pay at $200 for an initial evaluation and $150 for follow-ups while you sort out benefits. Once TRICARE is active again, we can resume in-network billing.

Q: Can my spouse or dependents use TRICARE at MindSpa? A: Yes, if they are adults (18+). MindSpa treats adult patients across Florida via telepsychiatry and accepts TRICARE mental health coverage for eligible dependents and spouses.

If You Have Been Putting This Off

If you held off because you were not sure TRICARE would cover this, it does. If you held off because you were not sure a civilian provider would understand the context, that is what the first visit is for. And if you held off because you did not want to walk into a waiting room, you do not have to.

Call 561-576-9404 to start with TRICARE at MindSpa. Request an appointment online if you are reading this after hours. Hours: Mon to Fri, 9AM to 5:30PM. Telehealth throughout Florida.

MindSpa Psychiatry & Therapy is a nurse-owned, 100% telehealth practice serving adults across Florida, with physical offices in Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, and Palmetto Bay (Miami) for licensing and registration purposes. All patient visits occur by secure video.