2026 TRICARE Premiums & Enrollment Fees Guide | TRICARE.com

*TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not affiliated with the Department of Defense. For official policy and the most current enrollment data, visit TRICARE.mil.*

## Quick answer Most active-duty service members and their families do not pay monthly premiums for TRICARE. However, retirees, National Guard/Reserve members, and those using "Young Adult" or "Cobra-like" coverage must pay monthly premiums to maintain their insurance. For 2026, most premiums are adjusted based on the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).

In detail

TRICARE premiums are the monthly "membership fees" paid to remain enrolled in certain plans. These are separate from copayments or deductibles, which you pay when you actually receive care.

### Monthly Premiums for 2026 While TRICARE Prime and Select are "free" for active-duty families, the following monthly rates apply to other beneficiary groups for the 2026 plan year.

| Plan Name | Member Type | 2026 Monthly Premium (Individual) | 2026 Monthly Premium (Family) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS)** | Selected Reserve | $53.80 | $274.48 | | **TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR)** | Retired Reserve | $548.11 | $1,215.34 | | **TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) Prime** | Young Adult | $637.00 | N/A | | **TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) Select** | Young Adult | $311.00 | N/A | | **TRICARE For Life (TFL)** | Medicare-Eligible | $0* | $0* |

*\*Note: While TFL has no TRICARE premium, you must pay your monthly Medicare Part B premiums to remain eligible.*

### TRICARE Prime Enrollment Fees (Retirees) Retirees and their families (Group A, who entered service before Jan 1, 2018) pay annual enrollment fees rather than "premiums," though they are often billed monthly. * **Individual:** Varies by COLA — check TRICARE.mil for 2026 rates. * **Family:** Varies by COLA — check TRICARE.mil for 2026 rates.

### The Role of Contractors Your premium payments are managed by the regional contractor assigned to your area: * **East Region:** Managed by **Humana Military**. * **West Region:** Managed by **TriWest Healthcare Alliance**. * **Pharmacy:** Managed by **Express Scripts** (no separate premium for pharmacy).

## Who this applies to * **National Guard and Reserve:** If you are not on active duty but want TRICARE coverage, you must pay monthly premiums for TRS or TRR. * **Retirees:** Retirees under age 65 generally pay annual enrollment fees for Prime or Select. * **Young Adults:** Dependent children aged 21–25 who are not full-time students or have graduated must pay high monthly premiums for TYA coverage. * **Former Spouses/Employees:** Those using Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP) pay quarterly premiums.

Common scenarios

**The Reserve Family** John is a Sergeant in the Army Reserve. To cover his wife and two children in 2026, he enrolls in **TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS)**. He pays **$274.48 per month** via a recurring electronic allotment.

**The Recent Graduate** Sarah, age 23, recently graduated college and no longer qualifies as a regular dependent. Her father is active duty. To keep her TRICARE coverage, she enrolls in **TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) Select** and pays **$311.00 per month** out of pocket for the 2026 plan year.

**The Medical Retiree** Marcus retired from the Navy on a medical discharge. Because he is a Chapter 61 retiree, he may have different enrollment fee waivers. Generally, he would check with **TriWest** (as he lives in San Diego) to confirm if his 2026 enrollment fees are waived or discounted based on his retirement status.

## Related terms * **Enrollment Fee:** The annual fee paid by retirees to use TRICARE Prime or Select (analogous to a premium). * **Allotment:** An automatic deduction from a military pay account used to pay monthly premiums. * **Catastrophic Cap:** The maximum out-of-pocket amount a family will pay in a year for covered services (not including premiums). * **Group A vs. Group B:** Beneficiary categories determined by whether the sponsor's initial enlistment/appointment was before or after January 1, 2018. * **Open Season:** The annual period (usually Nov–Dec) where you can change your enrollment for the following plan year.

## Sources * TRICARE.mil Costs Page: https://www.tricare.mil/costs * Humana Military (East): https://www.humanamilitary.com/ * TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West): https://www.triwest.com/ * Defense Health Agency (DHA): https://health.mil/