Maxwell’s Tricare Service Center closes April 1 Published Feb. 7, 2014 By Staff Sgt. Gregory Brook 42nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. -- The Tricare Service Center at the 42nd Medical Group closes April 1 to walk-in service. The discontinuation of Tricare walk-in services at Maxwell is part of a Department of Defense plan to close 189 Tricare offices stateside, saving more than $250 million over the next five years. The savings will allow Tricare to invest more in important patient services. According to medical group officials, the change in services will not affect most Tricare beneficiaries. The centers handle in- and out-processing, requests to change primary care providers and billing-related questions. "The DOD spends roughly $51 million a year on these services, and this type of customer service can be handled more efficiently by phone or online," said 2nd Lt. Nicole Stanley, Tricare operations and patient administration flight commander. "The need for walk-in visits has decreased because of increases in the efficiency of the Tricare website and telephone system." The Maxwell Tricare Service Center will remain open until March 31 for any questions beneficiaries may have. Beginning April 1, beneficiaries will need to call Tricare or go online to get further information. "We understand this will be a tough transition for our beneficiaries and will do all that we can to market this change," said Lt. Col. Jay Ludescher, 42nd Medical Support Squadron commander. Beneficiaries can get more information and sign up for updates at http://www.tricare.mil/tsc, or by calling 1-800-444-5445.