The Defense Health Agency has upheld its decision to select TriWest Health Alliance as the new managed care services provider in the western U.S. region of the U.S. military’s Tricare program.
DHA on Thursday asserted that TriWest won the $65.1 billion T-5 MCS contract, after the agency reviewed and dismissed a bid protest Health Net Federal Services filed in January.
TriWest was named in December as the winning contractor for T-5, the fifth generation of the Tricare managed care projects, while Humana Government Business secured a $70.9 billion award to perform similar tasks in the East region.
Health Net Federal Services has assisted West region’s program beneficiaries since 2018. The Centene subsidiary filed its protest with the Government Accountability Office after the award, prompting DHA to review source selection documents.
DHA is still awaiting GAO’s decision on the protest and has yet to commence contract performance. If cleared, the combat support agency will follow a one-year transition period from T-2017 to TriWest’s T-5 contract, which could begin in August 2024.
