TRICARE Reserve Component Family Benefits & 2026 Rates
## Quick answer Families of National Guard and Reserve members are typically eligible for **TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS)**, a premium-based health plan that provides comprehensive coverage when the sponsor is in a non-activated status. If the sponsor is called to active duty for more than 30 consecutive days, the family automatically transitions to active duty benefits, such as TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select, with $0 premiums.
*Note: TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not affiliated with the Department of Defense. Visit [TRICARE.mil](https://www.tricare.mil) for official policy.*
Details
### TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) for Families For most of the year, Guard and Reserve families use **TRICARE Reserve Select**. This is a "PPO-style" plan where you can see any TRICARE-authorized provider, though you pay lower cost-shares if you use a network provider.
* **2026 Monthly Premiums:** For the 2026 plan year, premiums for TRS (Member and Family) are **$274.48 per month** (subject to annual adjustment). * **Deductibles:** You must meet an annual deductible before TRICARE begins to share costs. For 2026, this is typically $192 per individual or $384 per family (Group B). * **Catastrophic Cap:** This limits your out-of-pocket risk. For 2026, the cap for TRS families is **$1,313**.
### When the Sponsor is Activated If the Reserve component sponsor is called to active duty for more than 30 days (under federal orders), the family’s coverage changes: 1. **Transition to Prime or Select:** The family becomes eligible for TRICARE Prime (managed care) or TRICARE Select (PPO). 2. **$0 Premiums:** Monthly premiums for TRS stop during the activation period. 3. **Pre-Activation Coverage:** Families may become eligible for benefits up to 180 days before the sponsor reports for duty if the sponsor has "early bird" (TAMP) or specific mobilization orders.
### Pharmacy and Dental Benefits * **Pharmacy:** Managed by Express Scripts. Families can use military pharmacies ($0 copay), home delivery, or retail network pharmacies. * **Dental:** This is **not** included in the medical plan. Families must enroll separately in the **TRICARE Dental Program (TDP)**, administered by United Concordia.
### Regional Management * **TRICARE East:** Managed by Humana Military. * **TRICARE West:** Managed by TriWest Healthcare Alliance (as of the T-5 contract transition on Jan 1, 2025).
## Who this affects * **National Guard/Reserve Members:** Those in the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve. * **Spouses and Children:** Registered in DEERS. * **Survivors:** Family members of deceased Reserve sponsors may remain eligible for TRS for a specific period. * **Excluded:** Those eligible for or enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program are currently excluded from TRS (though laws are changing regarding this exclusion effective 2030).
## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [TRICARE Reserve Select Overview](https://www.tricare.mil/trs) * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** [2026 TRICARE Costs and Fees](https://www.tricare.mil/costs) * **Humana Military (East):** [HumanaMilitary.com](https://www.humanamilitary.com) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West):** [TriWest.com](https://www.triwest.com)