TRICARE After Military Separation: Options & Costs 2026
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## Quick answer When you separate from the military, your active duty TRICARE coverage ends on your last day of service. Unless you are retiring or meet specific eligibility criteria for transitional programs like TAMP or CHCBP, you and your family must secure alternative health insurance immediately to avoid a gap in coverage.
Details
Military separation is a "Qualifying Life Event" (QLE). This gives you 90 days from the date of your discharge to enroll in a new TRICARE plan if you are eligible. If you do nothing, your coverage will lapse at midnight on your separation date.
### 1. Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) If you qualify, TAMP provides 180 days of premium-free TRICARE coverage starting the day after your separation. You are generally eligible for TAMP if you: * Are involuntarily separated under honorable conditions. * Are a Reserve Component member ordered to active duty for more than 30 consecutive days in support of a contingency operation. * Are separating from active duty following a specialized agreement (e.g., Sole Survivorship).
Under TAMP, you are eligible for TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select.
### 2. Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP) If you do not qualify for TAMP, or when TAMP ends, you can purchase CHCBP. This is a premium-based plan that acts as a bridge between military health care and civilian insurance. * **Duration:** Typically up to 18 months. * **2026 Rates:** For the 2026 plan year, premiums are approximately $1,940 per quarter for individuals and $4,369 per quarter for families (rates subject to annual adjustment; check TRICARE.mil for exact 2026 figures). * **Enrollment:** You must apply within 60 days of losing TRICARE eligibility.
### 3. Retirees vs. Separatees If you are **retiring** (20+ years or medical retirement), you do not lose TRICARE coverage, but your plan options change. You must proactively enroll in TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select as a retiree and pay annual enrollment fees. * **2026 Retiree Costs:** For Group A retirees, 2026 enrollment fees are approximately $394/individual or $788/family for Prime. Select remains $187/$375 for Group A (check Humana Military or TriWest for 2026-specific Group B cost shares).
### 4. Reserve Component Options If you separate from active duty but remain in the Selected Reserve, you may be eligible to purchase **TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS)**. This is a premium-based plan that is significantly more affordable than CHCBP or most civilian employer plans.
### 5. Transitioning to the VA While some veterans qualify for VA health care, the VA generally only covers the veteran, not their spouses or children. Separation from the military also opens a Special Enrollment Period for the Health Insurance Marketplace (Healthcare.gov).
## Who this affects * **Active Duty Service Members:** Transitioning to civilian life. * **National Guard and Reserve:** Deactivating or leaving the Selected Reserve. * **Family Members:** Spouses and children losing "Active Duty Family Member" status. * **Medical Retirees:** Those transitioning to the permanent disability retired list (PDRL).
## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [Ending Coverage](https://www.tricare.mil/LifeEvents/Separating) * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** [TAMP Eligibility](https://www.tricare.mil/TAMP) * **Humana Military (East):** [Transitioning Coverage](https://www.humanamilitary.com/) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West):** [Beneficiary Services](https://www.triwest.com/)