TRICARE Contractors: 2026 Guide to Regional Managers | TRICARE.com

A complete guide to TRICARE contractors as of 2026, including Humana Military (East), TriWest (West), and specialized managers like Express Scripts.

TRICARE Contractors: 2026 Guide to Regional Managers

*Note: TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not the official TRICARE program or the Department of Defense. For official policy and the most current data, visit TRICARE.mil.*

## Quick answer In the TRICARE system, "contractors" are the private healthcare companies hired by the Department of Defense to manage your benefits, process claims, and build the provider networks in your region. Currently, **Humana Military** manages the East Region and **TriWest Healthcare Alliance** manages the West Region.

## In detail The TRICARE program is divided into geographical regions, each administered by a specific commercial contractor under a massive multi-year agreement known as the "T-5" contract. These contractors do not set the rules or the costs—those are determined by federal law—but they are the entities you interact with for daily healthcare needs.

### The 2026 Regional Contractors As of 2026, the TRICARE landscape is divided between two primary domestic regional contractors:

* **East Region (Humana Military):** Covers 24 states in the Eastern U.S., including the District of Columbia. Humana handles everything from provider directories to enrolling beneficiaries in TRICARE Prime or Select. * **West Region (TriWest Healthcare Alliance):** Covers 26 states in the Western U.S. TriWest officially took over the West Region contract from Health Net Federal Services (HNFS) on January 1, 2025. * **Overseas (International SOS):** Manages the TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP) for beneficiaries living outside the 50 United States and D.C.

### Specialized Contractors Beyond regional management, the Department of Defense employs specialized contractors for specific benefits:

### What Contractors Handle * **Provider Networks:** They recruit and contract with local doctors, specialists, and hospitals. * **Claims Processing:** When you see a non-military doctor, the contractor pays the bill (after your cost-share/deductible). * **Referrals and Authorizations:** They review requests from your doctor to ensure medical necessity for specialized care. * **Customer Service:** They operate the call centers and online portals where you check eligibility or update your address via DEERS.

## Who this applies to * **Active Duty Service Members (ADSMs):** Rely on contractors for "Prime Remote" care when living away from military installations. * **Active Duty Family Members (ADFMs):** Use contractors to find civilian specialists and manage TRICARE Select or Prime enrollment. * **Retirees and Families:** Interact with contractors for enrollment, paying TRICARE Select enrollment fees (e.g., $189/individual or $378/family for Group A retirees in 2026), and claims. * **National Guard and Reserve:** Use contractors to manage TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) monthly premiums and coverage.

Common scenarios

### Moving Between Regions Jane, an Army spouse, moves from Georgia (East) to California (West) in April 2026. Because she is moving between contractors, she must contact **TriWest Healthcare Alliance** to transfer her enrollment from **Humana Military**. Her medical records don't move automatically; her new TriWest-managed doctor will need to request them.

### Seeking a Specialist Mark is a retiree on TRICARE Select in Texas (West Region). He needs a knee replacement. He uses the **TriWest** online provider directory to find an "In-Network" orthopedic surgeon. By using a contractor-network surgeon, his cost-share is significantly lower than if he chose a non-network provider.

### Mail-Order Prescriptions Sarah needs a maintenance medication for high blood pressure. Regardless of whether she lives in the East or West region, she must deal with **Express Scripts** to set up her home delivery, as the pharmacy contract is nationwide and separate from the regional medical contracts.

## Related terms * **T-5 Contract:** The fifth generation of managed care support contracts that governs current TRICARE operations. * **Network Provider:** A doctor or hospital that has a formal agreement with the regional contractor to provide care at negotiated rates. * **DEERS:** The Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System; the database contractors check to see if you are eligible for benefits. * **Point of Service (POS):** An option under TRICARE Prime to see a non-network provider without a referral, which usually results in higher out-of-pocket costs paid to the contractor. * **GRI:** Global Remote Integrated; often used in the context of overseas contractor management.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil (Official Site):** https://www.tricare.mil/About/Contractors * **Humana Military (East Contractor):** https://www.humanamilitary.com/ * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West Contractor):** https://www.triwest.com/ * **Express Scripts (Pharmacy):** https://militaryrx.express-scripts.com/