TRICARE When Leaving the Military | 2026 Guide
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## Quick answer When you leave the military, your active-duty TRICARE coverage ends at midnight on your final day of service. Depending on your type of discharge—retirement, separation, or medical retirement—you must take action within 90 days to enroll in a new plan like TRICARE Select, Prime, or the Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP).
Details
Transitioning out of the military is a "Qualifying Life Event" (QLE). This gives you a 90-day window from your date of separation to enroll in a new health plan. If you miss this window, you may only be eligible for care at a Military Treatment Facility (MTF) on a space-available basis, which is not guaranteed.
### 1. If You Are Retiring (20+ Years) Retiring is the most common path to long-term TRICARE eligibility. You must proactively re-enroll; your coverage does not automatically continue. * **Plans:** You can choose between **TRICARE Prime** (if you live in a Prime Service Area) or **TRICARE Select**. * **Costs (2026 Rates):** Retirees are grouped into categories. For example, "Group A" (service began before Jan 1, 2018) retirees generally pay a 2026 enrollment fee of approximately $395/individual or $791/family for TRICARE Select. "Group B" (service began on/after Jan 1, 2018) faces higher enrollment fees and deductibles. * **Dental/Vision:** You lose active-duty dental. Retirees are eligible to purchase dental and vision coverage through **FEDVIP** (beneficiary.opm.gov).
### 2. If You Are Separating (Non-Retirement) If you are separating but not retiring, your regular TRICARE coverage ends. However, two temporary programs may bridge the gap: * **TAMP (Transitional Assistance Management Program):** Provides 180 days of premium-free TRICARE coverage. This is available for those involuntarily separated, those under certain contingency operations, or those separating for specific medical reasons. * **CHCBP (Continued Health Care Benefit Program):** This acts like "COBRA" for the military. It provides 18 to 36 months of coverage after TRICARE eligibility ends. For 2026, CHCBP premiums are roughly $1,900+ per quarter for individuals and $4,300+ for families.
### 3. If You Are Medically Retired Service members placed on the Permanent Disability Retired List (PDRL) or Temporary Disability Retired List (TDRL) are treated as retirees. You and your family remain eligible for TRICARE Prime or Select.
### 4. Regional Management Your coverage is managed by a regional contractor based on where you move after service: * **East Region:** Humana Military. * **West Region:** TriWest Healthcare Alliance. * **Overseas:** International SOS.
## Who this affects * **Active Duty Service Members:** Transitioning to civilian life or retirement. * **National Guard and Reserve:** If separating from a period of more than 30 days of active duty. * **Family Members:** Spouses and children whose coverage is tied to the sponsor’s status. * **Medical Retirees:** Those separating due to service-connected disabilities.
## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [Plan Finder & Eligibility](https://www.tricare.mil/Plans/Eligibility) * **Humana Military (East):** [Transitioning from Active Duty](https://www.humanamilitary.com) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West):** [Beneficiary Services](https://www.triwest.com) * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** [Transitional Assistance Management Program](https://www.health.mil)