How to Enroll in TRICARE: 2026 Guide
*Disclaimer: TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not affiliated with the Department of Defense. For official policy and enrollment actions, visit TRICARE.mil.*
## Quick answer To enroll in a TRICARE plan, you must first be registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). Once eligible, most family members and retirees must actively choose a plan (like Prime or Select) during the annual Open Season or following a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). Active duty service members are enrolled automatically in TRICARE Prime.
In detail
### Step 1: Confirm DEERS Eligibility Before you can select a plan, the Department of Defense must recognize you as an eligible beneficiary. Active duty sponsors must register their family members at a RAPIDS ID card office. Keep your address, email, and phone number updated in DEERS; if your information is wrong, you may miss enrollment windows.
### Step 2: Choose Your Plan Enrollment is required for most "managed" plans. If you do not enroll, you may only be eligible for care at military hospitals and clinics on a space-available basis (Direct Care), which is not guaranteed.
* **TRICARE Prime:** HMO-style plan with a Primary Care Manager (PCM). * **TRICARE Select:** PPO-style plan allowing you to see any TRICARE-authorized provider. * **TRICARE For Life:** Automatic enrollment for those with Medicare Part A and B; no separate enrollment form is required. * **Premium-Based Plans:** TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS), TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR), and TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) require a monthly premium and an initial payment upon enrollment.
### Step 3: When to Enroll You cannot change your enrollment at any time. You are limited to two specific windows: 1. **TRICARE Open Season:** Happens annually from mid-November to mid-December. Changes made then take effect on Jan. 1 of the following year. 2. **Qualifying Life Events (QLEs):** Events like marriage, birth of a child, retirement, or moving allow you 90 days to change or start your enrollment.
### How to File the Enrollment As of 2026, you can enroll through the following regional contractors: * **East Region:** Humana Military (Online via the Beneficiary Web Enrollment/BWE portal). * **West Region:** TriWest Healthcare Alliance (Took over operations Jan. 1, 2025). * **Overseas:** International SOS.
### Enrollment Fees (2026 Rates) While active duty families typically pay no enrollment fees, retirees usually do. For **2026**, Group A retirees (initial enlistment before 2018) pay approximately: * **TRICARE Prime:** ~$385/individual or ~$770/family per year. * **TRICARE Select:** ~$185/individual or ~$370/family per year. *(Note: Rates are subject to annual adjustments; check TRICARE.mil for the most current figures.)*
## Who this applies to * **Active Duty Service Members:** Automatically enrolled in Prime; must enroll family members. * **Active Duty Family Members (ADFMs):** Must choose between Prime or Select. * **Retirees and their Families:** Must actively enroll and pay annual fees to maintain coverage. * **National Guard/Reserve:** Must enroll in TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) and pay monthly premiums. * **Young Adults:** Children of sponsors aged 21–26 who do not have employer-sponsored coverage.
Common scenarios
### The New Parent An active duty sailor has a baby in March 2026. This is a QLE. They must register the child in DEERS within 90 days. Once in DEERS, they enroll the child in TRICARE Prime. There is no enrollment fee, and the child's coverage is backdated to the date of birth.
### The New Retiree An Army Major retires in June 2026. This is a QLE. He has 90 days to enroll in TRICARE Select or Prime. He chooses TRICARE Select for a family of four. He must pay the first quarter's enrollment fee (approx. $92.50 for 2026) to TriWest or Humana to start coverage.
### The Missed Deadline A retiree spouse wants to switch from Prime to Select in July 2026 but doesn't have a QLE (no move, no change in status). They must wait until the Open Season in November 2026 to make the change, which will then become effective January 1, 2027.
## Related terms * **DEERS:** The database that tracks military members and their eligibility for benefits. * **Qualifying Life Event (QLE):** A specific change in your life (marriage, birth, move) that opens a 90-day enrollment window. * **Open Season:** The annual period in the fall when any eligible beneficiary can change their plan. * **Beneficiary Web Enrollment (BWE):** The online portal used to submit enrollment applications. * **Split Enrollment:** When family members living in different regions are enrolled under different regional contractors (e.g., Humana and TriWest).
## 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/ * **Defense Manpower Data Center (DEERS):** https://idco.dmdc.osd.mil/idco/