Privacy Policy & Disclaimers | Independent TRICARE Guide

## Summary This Privacy Policy and Disclaimer governs your use of this independent reference site. We are a community-built resource and are not affiliated with the Department of Defense, the Veterans Administration, or the official TRICARE program; we do not collect protected health information (PHI) or provide medical advice.

## Full text Last updated: May 2026

### 1. Independent Nature of This Site This website is an independent educational resource owned and operated by the Army Knowledge Online (AKO) community revival project. We are not a government agency. For official policy, enrollment, or claims, you must visit TRICARE.mil. This site does not have access to your DEERS record, your medical files, or your military personnel file.

### 2. Information We Collect We collect minimal data to provide a functional user experience: * **Analytics Data:** We use privacy-focused analytics to track general traffic patterns, such as which articles are most read. This includes obscured IP addresses and device types, but does not identify you personally. * **Voluntary Information:** If you use a contact form or sign up for a newsletter, we collect the email address and name you provide. * **Cookies:** Technical cookies are used to remember your preferences (such as dark mode) and to ensure site security via Cloudflare.

### 3. What We Do NOT Collect **We NEVER collect or ask for:** * Social Security Numbers (SSN). * Department of Defense ID numbers. * Protected Health Information (PHI) or medical records. * Insurance claim numbers or billing details. * Login credentials for MHS GENESIS or DS Logon.

If you receive a request for this information from someone claiming to be this site, do not provide it and contact us immediately.

### 4. Third-Party Processors We use a small number of trusted service providers to run this site: * **Infrastructure:** We may use Supabase or similar database providers for site architecture. * **Security:** Cloudflare provides DDoS protection and site performance optimization. * **Communication:** Email services for responding to user inquiries. These providers are prohibited from using your data for any purpose other than providing these technical services.

### 5. Disclaimer of Advice The content on this site is for informational purposes only. * **Not Medical Advice:** We are not doctors. Do not use this site to diagnose a condition or determine a treatment plan. * **Not Legal or Financial Advice:** Laws regarding military benefits change frequently. While we strive for accuracy, our content should not be used for legal or financial planning. * **No Guarantee of Accuracy:** 2026 rates, contractor regions (East/Humana Military; West/TriWest), and pharmacy benefits (Express Scripts) are subject to change by the Defense Health Agency (DHA) at any time.

### 6. User Rights Under various privacy frameworks (including CCPA/GDPR principles), you have the right to: * Request a copy of any personal data we hold (typically just an email address if you contacted us). * Request that we delete your data. * Opt-out of any non-essential cookies. To exercise these rights, please use the contact information below.

### 7. Children’s Privacy In compliance with COPPA, we do not knowingly collect information from children under the age of 13. This site is intended for adult service members, veterans, and their dependents.

### 8. Accessibility Statement We aim for WCAG 2.1 AA compliance. Our goal is to ensure that information about earned military benefits is accessible to all, including those using screen readers or alternative navigation tools. If you encounter an accessibility barrier, please notify us.

## Contact If you have questions about this policy or need to request data deletion, please email us at **hello@tricare.com**. Correspondence regarding official TRICARE claims or medical issues cannot be answered and will be deleted for your privacy.