The Defense Health Agency is a component of the Department of Defense. It runs the military health system as a single organization, delivering medical, dental, and pharmacy care to more than 9.5 million uniformed service members, military retirees, and their family members. Its facilities and programs operate worldwide. The agency also supports military operations by keeping service members medically ready and providing health support to the Joint Force.
Much of the agency's work is clinical. It staffs military hospitals and clinics with physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, behavioral health providers, and medical technicians, and it administers the TRICARE health plan, which covers care delivered by civilian providers.
Alongside clinical roles, the agency hires for the functions a large health system needs, including health administration, medical records and coding, contracting, logistics, finance, information technology, and public health. Both civilian federal employees and uniformed personnel fill these jobs.