TRICARE Entry & Enrollment Guide 2026

*Disclaimer: TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not the official TRICARE program or a government agency. For official policy and enrollment, visit TRICARE.mil.*

## Quick answer In the TRICARE system, "entry" refers to the initial moment a service member or their family becomes eligible for military health benefits. This is triggered by a "Qualifying Life Event" (QLE), such as entering active duty, a new marriage, or the birth of a child, and requires registration in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).

In detail

Entry into TRICARE coverage is not automatic for all plans. While active duty service members (ADSMs) are automatically enrolled in TRICARE Prime upon entering service, family members and Reserve components must take specific steps to "enter" a plan.

### 1. The Gateway: DEERS Before any healthcare can be accessed, the sponsor must register themselves and their dependents in **DEERS**. If you are not in DEERS, you do not exist in the eyes of TRICARE. Once registered, entry into a specific plan (like Select or Prime) must occur within **90 days** of the qualifying event.

### 2. Entry via Mandatory Enrollment (Active Duty) Upon entry into active duty, the service member is placed in TRICARE Prime. * **Cost (2026):** $0 out-of-pocket for the member. * **Provider:** Military Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs) are the primary point of entry.

### 3. Entry via Open Season or QLE For those already in the system, "entry" into a new plan usually happens during: * **Annual Open Season:** Typically mid-November to mid-December. * **Qualifying Life Events (QLEs):** Marriage, birth/adoption, moving to a new ZIP code, or retirement.

### 4. Regional Administration When you enter the TRICARE system, your benefits are managed by a regional contractor based on your location: * **East Region:** Humana Military. * **West Region:** TriWest Healthcare Alliance (as of the T-5 contract transition). * **Overseas:** International SOS.

### Comparison of Entry Costs (2026 Plan Year) *Note: Costs vary by "Group" (Group A entered service before Jan 1, 2018; Group B entered on/after that date).*

## Who this applies to * **New Recruits:** Must enter DEERS immediately to ensure coverage begins on day one of active duty. * **Newlyweds:** A spouse must be added to DEERS within 90 days to "enter" a TRICARE plan; otherwise, they may have to wait until Open Season. * **New Parents:** Newborns are covered under "Prime" or "Select" automatically for the first 90 days (120 days overseas) but must be officially entered into DEERS and enrolled in a plan to continue coverage. * **National Guard/Reserve:** Entry into TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) requires a separate monthly premium payment and manual enrollment.

Common scenarios

**The New Spouse** Sarah marries an Army Sergeant in March 2026. This is a Qualifying Life Event. The Sergeant adds Sarah to DEERS at a RAPIDS office. Sarah has 90 days to "enter" TRICARE Prime or Select. She chooses TRICARE Select. Because her husband is Active Duty, her 2026 enrollment fee is $0, though she will pay copays for civilian doctor visits.

**The New Retiree** Master Sergeant Miller retires in May 2026. This is a QLE. He must "re-enter" TRICARE as a retiree. He switches from TRICARE Prime (Active Duty) to TRICARE Select (Retired). For 2026, as a Group A retiree, he must set up an allotment for his annual enrollment fees (roughly $360/year for his family) to ensure no gap in coverage.

**The Reserve Transition** A Specialist finishes her active duty contract and joins the Selected Reserve in June 2026. Her "entry" into TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) is not automatic. She must log into the DMDC Beneforms website and schedule a premium payment (2026 monthly rates vary) to begin her coverage.

## Related terms * **DEERS:** The database that tracks eligibility for military benefits. * **Qualifying Life Event (QLE):** A specific change (marriage, birth, move) that opens a 90-day window to change TRICARE plans. * **Open Season:** The annual period where beneficiaries can enter or change their health insurance plan without a QLE. * **T-5 Contract:** The latest TRICARE contract (effective 2025) which transitioned the West Region to TriWest Healthcare Alliance. * **Sponsor:** The active duty, retired, or Guard/Reserve member through whom family members gain TRICARE eligibility.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil - Qualifying Life Events:** https://www.tricare.mil/lifeevents * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** https://health.mil/ * **Humana Military (East Contractor):** https://www.humanamilitary.com/ * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West Contractor):** https://www.triwest.com/