TRICARE Maternity Coverage & Costs (2026 Guide)
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## Quick answer TRICARE covers all medically necessary maternity care, including prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum care, usually with **$0 out-of-pocket costs** for active duty families. Whether you use a military hospital or a civilian provider depends on your specific plan (Prime vs. Select) and your location.
Details
TRICARE’s maternity benefit is comprehensive, covering you from the moment of a positive pregnancy test through at least six weeks of postpartum care.
### What is Covered? TRICARE covers services that are "medically necessary and appropriate." This includes: * **Prenatal Care:** Office visits, ultrasounds (when medically indicated), and lab tests (like glucose screening and amniocentesis). * **Delivery:** Hospitalization for vaginal or cesarean delivery, including anesthesia and fetal monitoring. * **Postpartum Care:** At least two follow-up visits after birth to check on the mother's physical and mental health. * **Breastfeeding Support:** TRICARE covers one manual or electric breast pump per birth event, as well as lactation consultant sessions.
### Costs by Plan (2026 Rates) Costs vary based on your beneficiary category and the plan you choose: * **TRICARE Prime (Active Duty):** $0 for all maternity services. * **TRICARE Prime (Retirees):** No copayment for prenatal/postpartum visits; however, there is a small per-diem fee for the hospital stay (varies by year — check TRICARE.mil for current rates). * **TRICARE Select (Active Duty Families):** You will pay an annual deductible and a small cost-share for the hospital delivery. * **TRICARE Select (Retirees):** Significant cost-shares apply for office visits and hospital stays, often based on a percentage of the allowed amount.
### Choosing Your Provider * **Military Hospitals:** If you live near a military installation and are enrolled in Prime, you will likely deliver at a military treatment facility (MTF) if they have an OB/GYN ward. * **Civilian Providers:** If you are on TRICARE Select, or on Prime but have received a referral (or live in a remote area), you can use civilian OB/GYNs and hospitals. * **Midwives and Birthing Centers:** TRICARE covers certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and T-5 authorized birthing centers. It generally does **not** cover "lay" midwives or home births unless specifically authorized under rare circumstances.
### Regional Coverage Map Your care is managed by a regional contractor: * **East Region:** Humana Military * **West Region:** TriWest Healthcare Alliance (effective Jan 1, 2025) * **Overseas:** International SOS
## Who this affects * Active duty service members and their spouses. * National Guard and Reserve members on active duty orders. * Retirees and their spouses. * Survivors of deceased service members.
## Sources * TRICARE Maternity Care: [https://www.tricare.mil/CoveredServices/IsItCovered/MaternityCare](https://www.tricare.mil/CoveredServices/IsItCovered/MaternityCare) * Defense Health Agency (DHA): [https://health.mil/](https://health.mil/) * Humana Military (East Contractor): [https://www.humanamilitary.com/](https://www.humanamilitary.com/) * TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West Contractor): [https://www.triwest.com/](https://www.triwest.com/)