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Divorce and TRICARE: Eligibility & 2026 Rules

Guide to TRICARE eligibility after divorce, covering the 20/20/20 rule, 2026 CHCBP costs, and how to update DEERS for former spouses and children.

Divorce and TRICARE: Eligibility & 2026 Rules

*Disclaimer: TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not affiliated with the Department of Defense or the official TRICARE program. For official policy and enrollment, visit TRICARE.mil.*

## Quick answer When a couple divorces, the non-military spouse immediately loses TRICARE coverage unless they meet the "20/20/20" or "20/20/15" rules. Dependent children remain covered by the military parent regardless of the divorce. If you do not qualify for continued coverage as a former spouse, you may be eligible to purchase temporary coverage through the Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP).

## In detail Divorce is a **Qualifying Life Event (QLE)**. This means the service member must update the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) as soon as the divorce is finalized. Coverage for the non-military spouse ends at midnight on the day the divorce decree is finalized, unless specific statutory requirements are met.

### The Former Spouse Rules To keep TRICARE under your own name as a former spouse, you must meet one of two strict criteria sets. In both cases, you lose eligibility if you remarry or enroll in an employer-sponsored health plan.

#### 1. The 20/20/20 Rule You remain eligible for TRICARE as a former spouse if: * You were married to the service member for at least **20 years**. * The service member performed at least **20 years** of service creditable for retirement pay. * The marriage and the service overlapped by at least **20 years**. * *Benefit:* You keep TRICARE (Prime or Select) with your own member ID under your own Social Security Number.

#### 2. The 20/20/15 Rule You remain eligible for **one year** of transitional TRICARE coverage if: * You were married to the service member for at least **20 years**. * The service member performed at least **20 years** of service creditable for retirement pay. * The marriage and the service overlapped by at least **15 years**. * *Benefit:* You get exactly one year of coverage starting from the date of the divorce.

### Coverage for Children Divorce does not change a biological or adopted child's eligibility. They remain beneficiaries until age 21 (or 23 if a full-time student), or until age 26 if enrolled in TRICARE Young Adult. The military parent remains the "sponsor" for the children's DEERS records.

### Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP) If you do not meet the 20/20/20 or 20/20/15 rules, you can buy CHCBP. This is a premium-based plan that acts as a bridge between military and civilian insurance. * **Duration:** Typically up to 36 months of coverage. * **2026 Rates:** For the 2026 plan year, premiums for CHCBP are **$1,911 per quarter** for individuals and **$4,306 per quarter** for families (subject to annual adjustment by the DHA).

### Contractor Management * **East Region:** Managed by Humana Military. * **West Region:** Managed by TriWest Healthcare Alliance. * **Pharmacy:** Managed by Express Scripts.

## Who this applies to * **Active Duty Spouses:** Coverage ends the day the divorce is final unless 20/20/20 rules apply. * **Retiree Spouses:** Coverage ends the day the divorce is final; however, former spouses of retirees may still be eligible for Pharmacy benefits and TRICARE For Life if they meet the 20/20/20 rule. * **Dependent Children:** Eligibility is unaffected by the parents' marital status change. * **Former Spouses:** Must register in DEERS under their own SSN to claim benefits if qualified.

Common scenarios

### Scenario 1: The 10-Year Marriage Jane and Sgt. Smith divorce after 10 years of marriage. Jane does not meet the 20/20/20 rule. Her TRICARE Prime coverage ends at 11:59 PM on the date of the divorce. To avoid being uninsured, Jane signs up for CHCBP, paying the 2026 rate of $1,911 every three months while she looks for a job with benefits.

### Scenario 2: The 20/20/20 Successor Mary and Col. Doe divorce after 25 years of marriage and 22 years of active service. Because the marriage and service overlapped by more than 20 years, Mary keeps TRICARE. She retains her TRICARE Select coverage and only pays the standard 2026 retiree-family-level deductibles and cost-shares as a "former spouse" beneficiary.

### Scenario 3: Benefit Loss via Remarriage Alice is a 20/20/20 former spouse receiving TRICARE benefits. Two years after her divorce, she remarries a civilian. Alice must notify DEERS immediately. Her TRICARE eligibility ends the day she remarries, even if her new husband has no health insurance.

## Related terms * **DEERS:** The Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System; the database that determines TRICARE eligibility. * **Qualifying Life Event (QLE):** A change like divorce or birth that opens a 90-day window to change TRICARE plan enrollments. * **CHCBP:** Continued Health Care Benefit Program; a temporary, premium-based "COBRA-like" plan for former military affiliates. * **Sponsor:** The service member (active, retired, or Guard/Reserve) through whom the family gains eligibility. * **20/20/20 Rule:** The statutory requirement for a former spouse to keep lifetime TRICARE benefits.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil - Divorce:** https://www.tricare.mil/LifeEvents/Divorce * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** https://health.mil/ * **Humana Military (East Contractor):** https://www.humanamilitary.com/ * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West Contractor):** https://www.triwest.com/