Military healthcare contractor issues apology to 4 million beneficiaries

Cost of DenialMilitary healthcare contractor issues apology to 4 million beneficiariesThe apology came two weeks after an NBC News investigation into the benefits program.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Guy Shoemaker, outside his home in Fort Worth, Texas, in February.Desiree Rios for NBC NewsShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 21, 2026, 4:15 PM EDTBy Jason Kane, Sara G. Miller and Erin McLaughlinA contractor that administers the military’s healthcare benefits to more than 4 million people issued a broad apology to its beneficiaries this week for problems with its coverage.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.In a publicly posted letter to all beneficiaries, TriWest Healthcare Alliance’s president and CEO David McIntyre Jr. wrote, “I want to personally take this opportunity to apologize to those of you who have experienced challenges with Other Health Insurance on our watch, and to assure you of my and my whole team’s commitment to your beneficiary experience.” McIntyre was referring to errors in beneficiaries’ patient portals that incorrectly stated they had other coverage, leading to denials.TriWest Healthcare Alliance is one of the contractors that administers TRICARE, the military’s healthcare program for active service members, veterans and their families. NBC News reported earlier this month on persistent challenges beneficiaries have faced since TRICARE transitioned its contract from Health Net Federal Services to TriWest in 2025. One retired service member, Guy Shoemaker, 64, of Fort Worth, Texas, said he had tens of thousands of dollars in previously approved claims overturned and money that had been paid to providers clawed back.For more, watch “NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas” tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT.Shoemaker, a retired Army sergeant first class and recruiter who spent a year in Afghanistan, was diagnosed with Stage 2 throat cancer in 2021. After chemotherapy and...