Who Is Eligible For TRICARE? | 2026 Eligibility Guide
## Quick answer TRICARE eligibility generally includes active duty service members and their families, retired military members and their families, National Guard and Reserve members, and survivors. To be eligible, you must be registered in the **Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS)**.
## Details TRICARE is the healthcare program for uniformed service members, retirees, and their families worldwide. Eligibility is determined by the uniformed services and it is recorded in DEERS.
*Note: TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not the official TRICARE program. For official policy and to verify your specific eligibility status, visit [TRICARE.mil](https://www.tricare.mil).*
### Primary Eligibility Categories Eligibility for specific plans (like Prime vs. Select) depends on your beneficiary status:
* **Active Duty Service Members (ADSMs):** Mandatory enrollment in TRICARE Prime. No out-of-pocket costs for authorized care. * **Active Duty Family Members (ADFMs):** Eligible for TRICARE Prime (no enrollment fees) or TRICARE Select (no enrollment fees for Group A, but cost-shares apply). * **Retirees and Family Members:** Retirees must pay annual enrollment fees for TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select. For 2026, these rates vary based on whether the sponsor’s initial enlistment was before or after Jan. 1, 2018 (Group A vs. Group B). * **National Guard and Reserve:** * On active duty: Same as ADSMs. * Inactive status: May purchase **TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS)**. * Retired Reserve (under age 60): May purchase **TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR)**. * **Medicare-Eligible Beneficiaries:** Usually transition to **TRICARE For Life (TFL)**, which acts as secondary coverage to Medicare Part A and B.
### Qualifying Life Events (QLEs) While basic eligibility is tied to your status in DEERS, your ability to *change* plans usually happens during the annual Open Season or following a QLE. Examples include: * Marriage or divorce. * Birth or adoption of a child. * Moving to a new zip code. * Retiring from active duty.
### Transitional and Specialized Eligibility * **TAMP:** The Transitional Assistance Management Program provides 180 days of premium-free health care coversage after certain separations from active duty. * **CHCBP:** The Continued Health Care Benefit Program is a premium-based plan that acts as a bridge between military health benefits and civilian health insurance (typically for 18–36 months). * **Survivors:** Spouses and children of deceased service members remain eligible, though status may change if a spouse remarries.
## Who this affects * **Active Duty:** Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard. * **National Guard & Reserve:** Authorized members and their families. * **Retirees:** Those receiving retired pay, including medically retired members. * **Families:** Spouses and unmarried children (up to age 21, or 23 if a full-time student; age 26 for TRICARE Young Adult). * **Survivors:** Widows/widowers and certain former spouses.
## Sources * **TRICARE.mil Eligibility Page:** https://www.tricare.mil/Plans/Eligibility * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** https://health.mil/ * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West Region):** https://www.triwest.com/ * **Humana Military (East Region):** https://www.humanamilitary.com/