Donald Trump's Impact on TRICARE | TRICARE.Com Guide

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## Quick answer As of June 2026, Donald Trump’s influence on TRICARE is primarily historical, centered on the legislative changes enacted during his presidency (2017–2021). His administration oversaw the implementation of the "TRICARE Select" plan, the transition to the MHS GENESIS electronic health record, and the initial rollout of the T-5 regional contracts that define how your care is managed today.

In detail

While Donald Trump is not a current policymaker, his term as the 45th and potentially future President significantly reshaped the TRICARE landscape. The most impactful changes occurred via the National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAA) passed during his administration.

### 1. The Creation of TRICARE Select One of the most visible changes during the Trump administration was the retirement of TRICARE Standard and TRICARE Extra on January 1, 2018. They were replaced by **TRICARE Select**. * **The Impact:** This created a clear distinction between "Group A" (those who joined before 2018) and "Group B" (those who joined on or after Jan. 1, 2018). * **Enrollment Fees:** For the first time, Group A retirees began paying annual enrollment fees for TRICARE Select (starting in 2021).

### 2. T-5 Contract Foundations The Trump administration initiated the bidding process for the current **T-5 (Generation 5)** contracts. These contracts transitioned the West Region to **TriWest Healthcare Alliance** (effective Jan 1, 2025) and maintained **Humana Military** in the East Region. These contracts are designed to improve referral processing and expand provider networks.

### 3. MHS GENESIS Rollout The Trump administration accelerated the deployment of **MHS GENESIS**, the new Department of Defense electronic health record. This system replaced legacy systems and is designed to provide a single, continuous health record from service entry through veteran status.

### 4. Direct Care vs. Private Sector Care The policy shift during this era favored "Market" transitions, where administrative control of military hospitals moved to the Defense Health Agency (DHA). This was intended to standardize care across the Army, Navy, and Air Force, though it has led to some beneficiaries being pushed toward the TRICARE civilian network for specialty care.

### TRICARE Cost Comparison (2026 Rates Example) Costs vary based on the sponsor’s initial enlistment date (Group A vs. B).

## Who this applies to * **Pre-2018 Retirees (Group A):** Affected by the introduction of enrollment fees for TRICARE Select that were mandated during the Trump presidency. * **Active Duty Families:** Affected by the MHS GENESIS rollout and the DHA’s reorganization of military treatment facilities. * **Reserve/Guard Members:** Affected by legislative efforts to streamline TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) and ensure continuity of care during transitions.

Common scenarios

**Scenario 1: The Group A Retiree** John retired in 2010. Before 2021, he paid $0 in enrollment fees for TRICARE Standard. Due to changes initiated during the Trump administration and finalized in 2021, John now pays approximately **$180 annually (2026 rates)** for TRICARE Select coverage.

**Scenario 2: Software Transition** A Navy family at NAS Lemoore experiences a delay in seeing their doctor because the clinic is transitioning to **MHS GENESIS**. This digital transition, a cornerstone of 2017-2020 DoD policy, ensures that when the family moves to a base in the East Region (managed by Humana Military), their records are instantly accessible.

## Related terms * **NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act):** The annual law that sets the budget and policy for the DoD, including TRICARE changes. * **Group A vs. Group B:** The classification system used to determine your TRICARE costs based on when the sponsor entered service. * **MHS GENESIS:** The modern electronic health record system used by all military hospitals and clinics. * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** The agency that now manages all military medical facilities, a shift solidified during the 2017–2021 period. * **T-5 Contract:** The current regional managed care contract (East: Humana; West: TriWest).

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [About TRICARE History](https://www.tricare.mil/About/History) * **Defense Health Agency:** [MHS GENESIS Overview](https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/MHS-GENESIS) * **Humana Military:** [Contractor Information](https://www.humanamilitary.com/) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance:** [West Region Updates](https://www.triwest.com/)