What is a qualifying life event for TRICARE?

A qualifying life event (QLE) is a significant change in a beneficiary's life circumstances that opens a special enrollment window to enroll in, change, or disenroll from a TRICARE plan outside of the annual TRICARE Open Season. Beneficiaries have 90 days from the date of the qualifying event to make enrollment changes. Common qualifying life events include marriage or divorce, birth or adoption of a child, death of a spouse or family member, permanent change of station (PCS) move, retirement or separation from active duty, activation or deactivation of a Guard or Reserve member, loss of other health insurance coverage, and aging out of a parent's plan at age 26. When a QLE occurs, beneficiaries should promptly update their DEERS record and contact their regional TRICARE contractor to make any desired enrollment changes. Failure to act within the 90-day window means the beneficiary must wait until the next TRICARE Open Season to make changes.