TRICARE Hospital Costs: 2026 Copays & Fees Guide
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## Quick answer Inpatient hospital costs depend on your plan and sponsor status: Active Duty families usually pay $0 or a small daily fee, while retirees and families on Select plans face daily copays or a percentage of the total cost. Most costs are capped by your annual Catastrophic Cap, which protects you from massive medical bills.
Details
Hospital costs (inpatient care) are categorized by TRICARE into two buckets: **Institutional charges** (the room, board, and nursing care) and **Professional charges** (the fees charged by the doctors and specialists who treat you).
### TRICARE Prime (All Regions) * **Active Duty Service Members (ADSMs):** $0 for all authorized inpatient care. * **Active Duty Family Members (ADFMs):** $0 at Military Hospitals; small daily fees may apply at civilian "Point of Service" care without a referral. * **Retirees and their families (2026 rates):** Under the T-5 contract (Humana Military in the East; TriWest in the West), retirees typically pay a per-admission or per-day copay. For 2026, many Group A retirees pay roughly $162 per admission or a set daily rate, whichever is less, though this varies based on whether the facility is in-network.
### TRICARE Select TRICARE Select is a PPO-style plan where you have more flexibility but higher out-of-pocket costs for hospital stays. * **ADFMs (2026 rates):** Usually pay a small daily fee (e.g., ~$25.00 per day) or a minimum of $25 per admission. * **Retirees (Group A):** Often pay 20% of the TRICARE-allowed amount for the stay, plus professional fees. * **Retirees (Group B/Joined after Jan 1, 2018):** Pay a flat daily rate (e.g., ~$250–$300 per day) up to a specific limit.
### Mental Health & Substance Use Care Inpatient hospital costs for mental health care typically follow the same cost-sharing rules as medical/surgical care. However, if you are at a **Residential Treatment Center (RTC)**, costs may differ. For ADFMs on TRICARE Select, the 2026 daily cost is often capped at a specific dollar amount per day (around $30), whereas retirees may pay 20% of the allowable charge.
### The Catastrophic Cap The most important number for hospital stays is your **Catastrophic Cap**. This is the maximum you will pay out-of-pocket for covered services in a calendar year: * **ADFMs:** Generally capped at $1,000–$1,288 per year (varies by group). * **Retirees:** Generally capped at $4,000–$4,300+ per year (varies by group). Once you hit this cap, TRICARE pays 100% of the allowable amount for the rest of the year.
## Who this affects * **Active Duty Families:** Low to zero cost for inpatient stays at any TRICARE-authorized facility. * **Retirees & Families:** Subject to copays or costshares based on plan (Select vs. Prime). * **National Guard & Reserve:** Members on TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) pay ADFM-equivalent Select rates. * **Young Adults:** Those on TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) pay costs based on whether they choose the Prime or Select option.
## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [Compare Costs Tool](https://www.tricare.mil/costs/compare) * **Humana Military (East):** [Network Provider Rates](https://www.humanamilitary.com/) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West):** [West Region Portal](https://www.triwest.com/) * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** [Annual Cost Reports](https://health.mil/)