TRICARE Guide
Military Health Plans — Coverage, Costs & Eligibility
🏥 TRICARE provides health coverage for military retirees, Guard/Reserve members, and their families — separate from but complementary to VA healthcare.
Section 1
⚖️ TRICARE vs. VA Healthcare
TRICARE and VA healthcare are two separate systems. Understanding the difference is key to maximizing your benefits.
🏥 TRICARE
- For military retirees, Guard/Reserve, and families
- Uses civilian and military doctors/hospitals
- Has premiums, copays, and deductibles
- Covers dependents
- Managed by Defense Health Agency (DHA)
🏛️ VA Healthcare
- For all eligible veterans
- Uses VA medical centers and clinics
- Often free or low-cost (based on priority group)
- Does NOT cover dependents (except CHAMPVA)
- Managed by Veterans Health Administration
Can you use both? Yes! Many veterans use VA healthcare for their own care and TRICARE for their families. When using VA care, TRICARE is not billed — they are separate systems.
Section 2
📋 TRICARE Plans Overview
🟢 TRICARE Prime
HMO-style plan with lowest costs.
- Must use network providers
- Assigned a primary care manager
- Referrals required for specialists
- Lowest out-of-pocket costs
🔵 TRICARE Select
PPO-style plan with more flexibility.
- See any TRICARE-authorized provider
- No referrals needed
- Higher cost-shares than Prime
- More provider choice
🟡 TRICARE For Life
For Medicare-eligible retirees (65+).
- Works as Medicare supplement
- Must have Medicare Part A & B
- No enrollment fee for TRICARE For Life
- TRICARE pays most Medicare cost-shares
Section 3
✅ Who Qualifies for TRICARE?
🎖️ Military retirees (20+ years of service)
🛡️ Guard/Reserve members (TRICARE Reserve Select)
👨👩👧 Family members of eligible service members/retirees
💜 Medically retired veterans (Chapter 61 — medical retirement)
⚠️ NOT available to most veterans who simply separated (non-retirees)
Important: Most veterans who served less than 20 years and were not medically retired do NOT qualify for TRICARE. They should use VA healthcare instead. Families of P&T veterans may qualify for CHAMPVA.
Section 4
💵 Cost Comparison (2026 Retiree Rates)
| Cost | TRICARE Prime | TRICARE Select | TRICARE For Life |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Enrollment | $700 (individual) / $1,400 (family) | $600 (individual) / $1,200 (family) | None (must pay Medicare Part B) |
| Primary Care Visit | $30 | $33 (network) | Medicare copay (usually $0 after Medicare) |
| Specialist Visit | $55 | $55 (network) | Medicare copay |
| ER Visit | $90 | $110 | Medicare copay |
| Annual Deductible | None | $350/$700 (ind/fam) | None |
| Catastrophic Cap | $3,500 | $3,500 | $3,500 |
Section 5
🦷 Dental & Vision (FEDVIP)
TRICARE does not include dental or vision for retirees. Instead, military retirees and their families can enroll in the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP).
🦷 Dental: Multiple plan options — premiums vary by plan and region. Covers preventive, basic, and major dental services.
👁️ Vision: Multiple plan options — covers eye exams, glasses, and contacts. Premiums start around $10-15/month.
Enrollment: FEDVIP has an annual open enrollment season (typically November-December). Enroll at benefeds.com.
Section 6
📝 How to Enroll
1
Verify your eligibility in DEERS (Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System)
2
Choose your plan: Prime, Select, or For Life based on your eligibility
3
Enroll online at tricare.mil or call 1-866-773-0404
4
For TRICARE For Life: Enroll in Medicare Part A & B — TRICARE For Life is automatic after Medicare enrollment
5
For dental/vision: Enroll separately through FEDVIP at benefeds.com
Section 7
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
A: Yes. Many retiree-veterans use VA healthcare for themselves and TRICARE for their families. VA and TRICARE do not coordinate — they are completely separate systems. When you receive care at a VA facility, TRICARE is not billed.
A: Generally no. TRICARE requires military retirement (20+ years) or medical retirement. Most veterans who served a single enlistment are not eligible for TRICARE. Use VA healthcare instead — it's available to most veterans regardless of length of service.
A: Yes. You must have both Medicare Part A and Part B to use TRICARE For Life. If you don't enroll in Part B, you'll lose TRICARE coverage. The Medicare Part B premium is required.
A: TRICARE covers children until age 21 (or 23 if full-time students). After that, adult children can purchase TRICARE Young Adult coverage until age 26.
A: Yes. You can have both. When you have employer insurance, TRICARE acts as a secondary payer and may cover what your primary insurance doesn't. This can significantly reduce your out-of-pocket costs.