Back to Top Skip to main content

Health.mil: the official website of the Military Health System (MHS) and the Defense Health Agency (DHA)

Utility Navigation Links

TRICARE Systems Manual 7950.4-M, April 2021
Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS)
Chapter 3
Section 3.1
Beneficiary Identification
Revision:  
1.0  Introduction
1.1  In 2008, the Department of Defense (DoD) started a program to remove Social Security Numbers (SSNs) from Common Access Cards (CAC) and Uniform Service/Military Identification (ID) cards for all Uniformed Service personnel, retirees, and all eligible family members. The effort is part of a larger plan to protect Service members and other DoD ID card holders from identity theft.
1.2  Prior to 2011, the SSN was printed on the back of the CAC issued to Uniformed Service personnel, civilians, contractors, etc., and on the front of the ID cards issued to dependents and retirees. Starting in 2011, when ID cards expired, they were replaced with new cards having a DoD Identification Number replacing the SSN and a DoD Benefits Number (DBN) reflecting DoD benefits authorized to the individual.
1.3  This section will provide information on accepted terminology used to identify an eligible beneficiary by all contractors. Clarification of beneficiary/patient ID nomenclature should be acquired from the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) and/or Defense Health Agency (DHA).
2.0  Concept Of Electronic Data Interchange Personal Identifier (EDIPI), Individual Person Identifier, And Family Affiliation Identifier
2.1  EDIPI
2.1.1  An EDIPI is a number assigned to a record in the DoD’s DEERS database. Both the CAC and ID cards have an EDIPI printed on or embedded within the card.
2.1.2  The EDIPI is used as a unique person identifier. It is unique to a person not to the person’s role within the DoD.
2.2  Individual Person Identifier
As described in paragraph 2.1.1, all persons in DEERS have a primary identifier, the EDIPI, which DEERS officially calls the DoD ID. The DoD Identification Number is a DEERS-assigned 10 digit number and is recorded on all official DoD CAC/ID cards. This DoD Identification Number replaces the SSN for use in identification for all activities and transactions authorized by DoD, unless the use of SSN is specified by law. The DoD Identification Number allows the Military Health System (MHS) to track a person through their life span under a single identifier. Changes in role or relationship to a sponsor is reflected in the DBN, see paragraph 2.3.
2.3  Family Affiliation Identifier
All persons in DEERS that are eligible for DoD benefits will have a DBN, which is an 11 digit number with the first nine digits being common to a sponsor, and the last two digits identifying a specific person within the sponsor’s family. The DBN replaces many of the old terms, phrases, and acronyms used by the MHS and contractors under previous TRICARE contracts. The DBN of a beneficiary can change over time as their affiliation with a sponsor changes, as the sponsor’s status changes, or as they move from being a dependent and become their own sponsor.
2.4  Foreign Identification Number (FIN)
2.4.1  An FIN is a system-generated number assigned as F900-00-0000 and up, that is automatically generated and assigned by DEERS to allow execution/enrollment of DoD benefits and entitlements of eligible foreign military, foreign nationals and respective family members, that lack an SSN.
2.4.2  An FIN will be assigned permanently for the term of the individual’s registration in DEERS unless they later acquire an SSN. If the individual assigned the FIN later acquires an SSN, the DEERS record will be updated using the SSN.
2.5  Temporary Identification Number (TIN)
2.5.1  A TIN is a system-generated number that will be automatically generated and assigned by the DEERS database for categories of beneficiaries who are awaiting an SSN, such as newborns and foreign spouses, or for those who do not have an SSN, but do not qualify for an FIN.
2.5.2  TINs are a temporary means of identifying a beneficiary as a potential TRICARE eligible beneficiary on DEERS until receipt of an SSN.
3.0  Contractor Responsibility
3.1  All contractor’s systems storing benefits, enrollment, premium/fee payments, referrals/authorizations, claims, or clinical information about a beneficiary shall do so by both the DoD Identification Number and the DBN.
3.1.1  The contractor shall ensure that a ll information about TRICARE enrollments and policies to and from DEERS and the contractor must be done using these identifiers as prescribed by DEERS and DHA.
3.1.2  Updates of any other DEERS/DHA approved secondary attributes, such as SSN, Name, or Date of Birth (DOB) are exchanged using the DoD Identification Number and/or DBN as the means of identification.
3.2  The contractor’s systems shall have the capabilities to link/cross-reference a beneficiary’s DoD Identification Number to their current and previous DBNs.
3.3  The contractor shall maintain records of previous DBNs, from the start work date of their contract or earlier by historical downloads mandated by DMDC and DHA.
- END -

Utility Navigation Links

DoD Seal

tricare.mil is the official website of the Defense Health Agency (DHA) a component of the Military Health System

TRICARE is a registered trademark of the Department of Defense (DoD), DHA. All rights reserved.

CPT only © 2006 American Medical Association (or such other date of publication of CPT). All Rights Reserved.

If you have a question regarding TRICARE benefits, please go to the TRICARE Contact Us page page.
If you need help with technical/operational issues, please go to the TRICARE Manuals Online Help page.

The appearance of hyperlinks to external websites does not constitute endorsement by the DHA of these websites or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized government activities, the DHA does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at other locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this DoD website.

v4.11.8372.15705

DHA Address: 7700 Arlington Boulevard | Suite 5101 | Falls Church, VA | 22042-5101

Some documents are presented in Portable Document Format (PDF). A PDF reader is required for viewing. Download a PDF Reader or learn more about PDFs.