TRICARE Enrollment Guide 2026: How to Sign Up

*Note: TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not the official TRICARE program or the Defense Health Agency. For official policy and the most current government updates, visit TRICARE.mil.*

## Quick answer "En" in the context of TRICARE typically refers to **Enrollment**, the mandatory process of signing up for a specific health plan like TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select. While some beneficiaries are automatically eligible in the system (DEERS), you must actively enroll in a plan to receive coverage, usually during the annual Open Season or after a Qualifying Life Event (QLE).

## In detail Enrollment is the bridge between being "eligible" for military benefits and actually having a health plan that pays your medical bills. Eligibility is determined by the services and managed in the **Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS)**, but enrollment is a separate action you take with a regional contractor (Humana Military in the East or TriWest in the West).

### The Two Enrollment Windows 1. **TRICARE Open Season:** This occurs annually from the Monday of the second full week in November to the Monday of the second full week in December. Changes made then take effect on January 1st of the following year. 2. **Qualifying Life Events (QLEs):** If you miss Open Season, you can only enroll or change plans within 90 days of a QLE (e.g., marriage, birth of a child, retirement from active duty, or moving).

### Enrollment Fees (2026 Rates) For many beneficiaries, particularly those in Group A (sponsor's initial enlistment/appointment before Jan. 1, 2018), there may be annual enrollment fees for specific plans.

*Note: 2026 rates are subject to annual COLA adjustments. Exact figures for Group B and Young Adult plans are updated annually by the Defense Health Agency.*

### Regional Contractors Your enrollment is managed based on your geographic location: * **TRICARE East:** Managed by Humana Military. * **TRICARE West:** Managed by TriWest Healthcare Alliance (as of the T-5 contract transition on Jan 1, 2025). * **TRICARE Overseas:** Managed by International SOS.

### How to Enroll You can enroll via the **Beneficiary Web Enrollment (BWE)** portal on the milConnect website, by mailing an enrollment form to your regional contractor, or by calling your regional contractor's customer service line.

## Who this applies to * **Active Duty Service Members:** Enrollment in TRICARE Prime is mandatory. * **Active Duty Family Members:** Must choose between Prime (managed care) or Select (PPO-style). * **Retirees and their Families:** Must proactively enroll and pay applicable enrollment fees to maintain coverage. * **National Guard/Reserve:** Must enroll in TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) and pay monthly premiums to have coverage. * **Young Adults:** Children aged 21–26 must specifically enroll in TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) as they are not covered under a parent’s standard family plan.

Common scenarios

**The New Retiree** Master Sergeant Miller retires in May 2026. Retirement is a QLE. He has 90 days to enroll himself and his wife in TRICARE Select. If he chooses Group A Select, he will pay his first quarterly installment of the ~$380 annual enrollment fee (2026 rate) to start coverage immediately.

**The Growing Family** An Active Duty family in the West Region (TriWest) has a baby on June 10, 2026. The baby is "eligible" once registered in DEERS, but the parents must **enroll** the child in a plan within 90 days. Because they are active duty, there is $0 enrollment fee.

**The Open Season Change** A retiree currently in TRICARE Select wants to switch to TRICARE Prime to lower out-of-pocket costs for an upcoming surgery. They must wait for the **Open Season** in November 2026 to submit their enrollment change, which will become effective January 1, 2027.

## Related terms * **DEERS:** The database that tracks your eligibility; you must be in DEERS before you can enroll. * **Qualifying Life Event (QLE):** A specific change (like moving or marriage) that opens a 90-day enrollment window. * **Group A / Group B:** Classification based on when the sponsor joined the military, determining enrollment fee structures. * **Primary Care Manager (PCM):** The doctor assigned to you (or chosen by you) upon enrollment in a Prime plan. * **Beneficiary Web Enrollment (BWE):** The online tool used to process enrollment applications.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil Enrollment Page:** https://www.tricare.mil/enroll * **Humana Military (East):** https://www.humanamilitary.com/ * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West):** https://www.triwest.com/ * **milConnect (DEERS/BWE):** https://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil/