TRICARE 2: Group B and T-5 Contract Guide (2026)
The term "TRICARE 2" is not an official plan name, but it is almost always used to refer to **TRICARE Select Group B**—the plan for those who joined the military on or after January 1, 2018. It is also sometimes used to describe the "T-5" contract transition that began in 2025, which modernized the TRICARE East and West regions.
*Note: TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not affiliated with the Department of Defense or the official TRICARE.mil program.*
In detail
In the TRICARE ecosystem, beneficiaries are divided into two distinct categories for the purpose of costs (copays, deductibles, and enrollment fees). While there is no plan officially titled "TRICARE 2," the military health system operates on a "Group A" and "Group B" tier system.
### Group A vs. Group B (The "TRICARE 2" distinction) * **Group A:** You or your sponsor joined the military **before** January 1, 2018. * **Group B:** You or your sponsor joined the military **on or after** January 1, 2018.
Group B (the "newer" group) typically has higher enrollment fees for retirees but may have different cost-sharing structures compared to the legacy Group A.
### The New Regional Structure (T-5 Contract) As of 2025 and continuing through 2026, TRICARE shifted to a new contract structure often discussed as the "next generation" of TRICARE. This included a major shift in the West Region. * **TRICARE East:** Managed by **Humana Military**. * **TRICARE West:** Managed by **TriWest Healthcare Alliance** (replacing Health Net Federal Services as of Jan 1, 2025).
### 2026 Cost Examples (Select Group B) For "Group B" beneficiaries (those who joined after Jan 1, 2018) using **TRICARE Select** in 2026: * **Annual Enrollment Fee (Retirees):** Varies by year — check TRICARE.mil for current 2026 rates. * **Network Primary Care Visit:** $23 (2026 rate). * **Network Specialty Care Visit:** $35 (2026 rate). * **Individual Deductible (Active Duty Family):** $62 (2026 rate).
## Who this applies to * **Active Duty Families (Post-2018):** Spouses and children of members who enlisted or were commissioned after Jan 1, 2018, are automatically in Group B. * **Retirees (Post-2018):** Those who served and retired after the 2018 cutoff face the Group B fee structure. * **TRICARE West Beneficiaries:** Anyone living in the Western US is now under the "new" TRICARE 2.0 era managed by TriWest Healthcare Alliance. * **TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) / Retired Reserve (TRR):** These members are generally treated as Group B for cost-sharing purposes, regardless of when they joined.
Common scenarios
### Scenario 1: The New Enlistee Family (Group B) Sgt. Miller joined the Army in 2022. His wife is pregnant and sees an out-of-network OBGYN under TRICARE Select. Because they are "Group B," they must meet a $125 individual deductible (2026 rate) before TRICARE begins cost-sharing at 20% of the allowed amount.
### Scenario 2: The West Region Transition A retired Navy Commander living in San Diego needs a referral for physical therapy in May 2026. Because of the "T-5" contract change, their authorizations are now processed through **TriWest Healthcare Alliance**, not Health Net (HNFS), which previously held the contract.
### Scenario 3: Pharmacy Costs Regardless of being Group A or Group B, a beneficiary using Express Scripts for a 90-day supply of a brand-name maintenance medication at a retail pharmacy will pay significantly more ($68+ in 2026) than if they used Home Delivery/Mail Order ($44 in 2026).
## Related terms * **Group B:** The official designation for those who joined the military on or after January 1, 2018. * **T-5 Contract:** The fifth generation of TRICARE contracts that changed the West Region contractor to TriWest in 2025. * **TRICARE Select:** A PPO-style plan that replaced the old "TRICARE Extra" and "TRICARE Standard." * **Catastrophic Cap:** The maximum out-of-pocket amount a family pays each year for TRICARE-covered services. * **Primary Care Manager (PCM):** The doctor assigned to you under TRICARE Prime; not required for TRICARE Select.
## Sources * TRICARE.mil Cost Factors: [https://www.tricare.mil/Costs/Compare](https://www.tricare.mil/Costs/Compare) * Humana Military (East): [https://www.humanamilitary.com/](https://www.humanamilitary.com/) * TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West): [https://www.triwest.com/](https://www.triwest.com/) * Defense Health Agency (DHA): [https://health.mil/](https://health.mil/)