TRICARE Overseas
TRICARE Overseas Claims in Foreign Currency: What to Enter
How to handle euros, pounds, yen and other currencies on a TRICARE Overseas claim: enter amounts as billed, choose your payment currency, never convert it yourself.
By the PaidTrail team · Updated · Checked against official sources
If you live overseas, your bills are usually in euros, pounds, yen or another local currency. The simple rule: do not convert anything.
What to enter
- Enter the billed amount and the amount you paid exactly as they appear, in the bill’s currency, and name that currency.
- On the form, answer block 13: do you want payment in U.S. dollars or local foreign currency? TRICARE added this currency question to the September 2024 edition so you are paid in the currency you intend.
- Use plain numbers: digits and a decimal point, with no currency symbol. If a portal field asks for numbers only, enter 60.00, not 60,00 or EUR 60.
TRICARE converts the amounts itself. It says the exchange rate is based on the last date of service, or the last date of discharge for an inpatient admission. Your own conversion is not needed and could cause a mismatch.
Watch the decimal comma
Many countries write 60,00 for sixty. Typed as is, a form may read it wrong. Change the punctuation, not the money: 60,00 becomes 60.00, and 1.234,56 becomes 1234.56.
The EOB will look different
The explanation of benefits may state that all amounts are in U.S. dollars. That is TRICARE’s conversion, and TRICARE pays based on its allowed amount, so the numbers will not match your bill. See how to read a TRICARE Overseas EOB.
The $10,000 threshold
TRICARE’s attestation requirement is stated in U.S. dollars: a Proof of Payment Attestation Form is needed when you paid a provider $10,000 USD or more. If your bill is in another currency, check the amount against that rule yourself, using the exchange rate for the date of service, or ask your regional call center.
The VA works the same way
On VA Form 10-7959f-2, payment is based on the exchange rate on the date the service was rendered. Again, give the amounts as they appear on your bill. See the VA Foreign Medical Program guide.
How PaidTrail handles it
PaidTrail never converts currency. It keeps each amount in the currency it was written in, reads European number formats correctly, and flags an amount that looks off so you can confirm it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I convert my bill to U.S. dollars?
No. Enter the billed and paid amounts in the currency on the bill and name that currency. TRICARE determines the exchange rate from the last date of service, or the discharge date for an inpatient admission.
Can I be paid in local currency?
The DD Form 2642 has a block 13 for overseas claims where you choose to be paid in U.S. dollars or local foreign currency.
Why does my EOB show different numbers than my bill?
An EOB can list all amounts in U.S. dollars, converted by TRICARE, and TRICARE pays based on its allowed amount, so the figures will not match the bill one to one.
Which exchange rate does the VA use?
The VA's form says payment is based on the exchange rate on the date the service was rendered.
Sources
- TRICARE Newsroom: TRICARE Claim Form Updated To Assist in Processing Overseas Claims (Oct. 23, 2024)
- TRICARE News: How to File Your TRICARE Claims Overseas (Jan. 30, 2023)
- DD Form 2642, SEP 2024 (block 13)
- VA Form 10-7959f-2 (AUG 2025)
PaidTrail is built by a veteran and stands on its own. It is not run or endorsed by TRICARE, the Department of Defense or the VA. Program rules change, so confirm anything that matters with TRICARE or the VA before you rely on it. This is general information, not legal or benefits advice.