TRICARE Plans Compared 2026: Which Plan Is Right for You?

Key Takeaways

• TRICARE Prime is best for families near military treatment facilities who want low out-of-pocket costs and don’t mind referrals
• TRICARE Select is best for families who want provider flexibility and are willing to pay higher copays and deductibles
• TRICARE Reserve Select is the only option for drilling Guard/Reserve members not on active duty orders
• TRICARE For Life automatically covers Medicare-eligible retirees—no enrollment required, but you must pay Medicare Part B premiums
• Open Season (Nov 10 – Dec 9 annually) is when you can switch between Prime and Select without a qualifying life event
• Your beneficiary group (A or B) affects costs—Group A (entered before Jan 1, 2018) generally pays less

Table of Contents

• TRICARE Plans Overview
• Who Is Eligible for TRICARE?
• TRICARE Prime: The Managed Care Option
• TRICARE Select: The Flexible Option
• Prime vs. Select: Side-by-Side Comparison
• Which Plan Is Right for You?
• TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS)
• TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR)
• TRICARE Young Adult (TYA)
• TRICARE For Life (TFL)
• Special Programs and Demonstrations
• How to Change Your TRICARE Plan
• Frequently Asked Questions

TRICARE Plans Overview

TRICARE is the health care program for uniformed service members, retirees, and their families. With multiple plan options, TRICARE can be confusing to navigate—especially when you’re trying to figure out which plan works best for your family’s needs and budget.

Here’s a quick overview of all TRICARE health plans available in 2026:

Who Is Eligible for TRICARE?

TRICARE eligibility is based on your relationship to a uniformed service member (the “sponsor”) and is tracked in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). You must be registered in DEERS to use TRICARE.

Eligible Beneficiaries

• Active duty service members (ADSMs): Automatically enrolled in TRICARE Prime at no cost
• Active duty family members (ADFMs): Spouses and children of active duty members
• Retired service members: Those who served 20+ years or medically retired
• Retiree family members: Spouses and children of retirees
• National Guard and Reserve members: When activated or through premium-based plans
• Reserve/Guard family members: Through TRICARE Reserve Select or during activations
• Survivors: Surviving spouses and children of deceased service members
• Medal of Honor recipients and families: Special eligibility rules apply

Children’s Eligibility

Children are eligible for TRICARE until age 21, or age 23 if enrolled full-time in an accredited college. After aging out of standard TRICARE, adult children ages 21-26 may purchase TRICARE Young Adult coverage.

TRICARE Prime: The Managed Care Option

TRICARE Prime works like a civilian HMO. You’re assigned a Primary Care Manager (PCM)—either at a military treatment facility (MTF) or in the civilian network—who coordinates your care and provides referrals when you need to see specialists.

How TRICARE Prime Works

• Primary Care Manager (PCM): Your main point of contact for all healthcare needs
• Referrals required: You need a referral from your PCM to see specialists
• Network restrictions: Care must be obtained through your PCM or with a referral to network providers
• Point-of-service option: You can self-refer, but you’ll pay significantly higher costs (50% cost-share after deductible)

TRICARE Prime Enrollment Fees (2026)

Active duty family members pay nothing to enroll in Prime. Retirees and their families pay annual enrollment fees:

TRICARE Prime Costs (2026)

TRICARE Prime Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Lowest out-of-pocket costs
• No deductibles
• Predictable copays
• Care coordination through your PCM
• Priority access at MTFs

Cons:

• Must get referrals for specialty care
• Limited to network providers
• Must live in a Prime Service Area
• Less flexibility in choosing providers
• Point-of-service care is expensive

TRICARE Prime Remote

If you’re an active duty family member who lives and works more than 50 miles (or one hour drive time) from an MTF, you may qualify for TRICARE Prime Remote. You get Prime benefits—including no enrollment fees and low copays—while using civilian network providers.

TRICARE Select: The Flexible Option

TRICARE Select is a self-managed PPO-style plan that gives you more freedom to choose your healthcare providers. You don’t need a Primary Care Manager or referrals, but you’ll pay higher out-of-pocket costs than with Prime.

How TRICARE Select Works

• No PCM required: You manage your own healthcare
• No referrals needed: See any TRICARE-authorized provider directly
• Network vs. non-network: Lower costs when using network providers
• Annual deductible: You must meet your deductible before TRICARE starts paying cost-shares

TRICARE Select Enrollment Fees (2026)

Active duty family members pay nothing to enroll. Retirees pay annual enrollment fees:

TRICARE Select Costs – Active Duty Families (2026)

TRICARE Select Costs – Retirees (2026)

TRICARE Select Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Freedom to see any TRICARE-authorized provider
• No referrals needed for specialists
• Available anywhere in the U.S.
• Can see non-network providers (at higher cost)
• More control over your healthcare decisions

Cons:

• Higher out-of-pocket costs than Prime
• Must meet annual deductibles
• Non-network care is expensive
• No care coordination from a PCM
• Must manage your own referrals and authorizations

Prime vs. Select: Side-by-Side Comparison

For a detailed head-to-head comparison of Prime and Select costs, referrals, and which plan wins for your situation, see our TRICARE Prime vs. Select guide.

Which Plan Is Right for You?

Choosing between TRICARE Prime and Select depends on your family’s situation, healthcare needs, and preferences. Here are some scenarios to help you decide:

Choose TRICARE Prime If…

• You live near a military treatment facility (MTF)
• You want the lowest out-of-pocket costs
• You don’t mind getting referrals for specialty care
• You prefer having a primary care manager coordinate your care
• Your family is generally healthy and doesn’t need frequent specialist visits
• You’re comfortable using MTF or network providers exclusively

Choose TRICARE Select If…

• You live far from an MTF or move frequently
• You have established relationships with civilian providers you want to keep
• You or your family members see specialists regularly
• You value the flexibility to choose your own doctors
• You don’t want to deal with referrals and prior authorizations
• You’re willing to pay higher copays for more freedom

Special Considerations

Frequent PCS moves: Select may be better since you won’t have to re-enroll with a new PCM at each duty station.

Chronic conditions: Consider which plan gives you better access to the specialists you need. Prime may have longer wait times for referrals; Select lets you self-refer.

Pregnancy: Both plans cover maternity care, but Select gives you more flexibility in choosing your OB/GYN and delivery hospital.

Mental health: TRICARE allows up to 8 outpatient mental health visits per year without a referral, regardless of plan.

TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS)

TRICARE Reserve Select is a premium-based health plan for qualified members of the Selected Reserve and their families. It’s available to Guard and Reserve members who are not on active duty orders but are actively drilling.

TRS Eligibility

• Member of the Selected Reserve
• Not on active duty orders for more than 30 days
• Not covered under the Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP)
• Not eligible for or enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program

TRS Monthly Premiums (2026)

TRS members follow Group B costs for deductibles, copays, and catastrophic caps, regardless of when the sponsor entered service.

TRS Coverage

TRS provides the same covered services as TRICARE Select. You can see any TRICARE-authorized provider without referrals. Network providers cost less than non-network providers.

TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR)

TRICARE Retired Reserve is for “gray area” retirees—Reserve and Guard members who have retired but aren’t yet 60 years old (when regular TRICARE retiree benefits begin).

See our Military Retirement Planning Guide for complete retirement benefits.

TRR Eligibility

• Qualified for retired pay but not yet age 60
• Not eligible for or enrolled in FEHB

TRR Monthly Premiums (2026)

TRR is significantly more expensive than TRS because it’s priced to cover the full cost of healthcare, not subsidized like active duty benefits.

TRICARE Young Adult (TYA)

TRICARE Young Adult extends coverage to adult children who have aged out of regular TRICARE (at age 21, or 23 if in college). TYA is available until age 26.

TYA Eligibility

• Adult child of an eligible sponsor
• Under age 26
• Unmarried
• Not eligible for their own employer-sponsored health coverage

TYA Monthly Premiums (2026)

TYA premiums increased over 7% for 2026. TYA members follow Group B costs for deductibles and copays.

TYA vs. Marketplace Coverage

Before choosing TYA, compare costs with Affordable Care Act marketplace plans. Depending on your adult child’s income, they may qualify for subsidies that make marketplace coverage cheaper than TYA.

TRICARE For Life (TFL)

TRICARE For Life is the TRICARE program for military retirees and their family members who are eligible for Medicare. TFL acts as a supplement to Medicare, covering most costs that Medicare doesn’t pay.

TFL Eligibility

• Entitled to Medicare Part A (usually at age 65)
• Enrolled in Medicare Part B
• Registered in DEERS

How TFL Works

TFL is automatic—there’s no enrollment process or enrollment fee. However, you must pay Medicare Part B premiums ($185/month for most beneficiaries in 2026) to maintain TFL eligibility.

When you receive care:

1. Medicare processes the claim first and pays its share
2. TFL automatically pays most or all of what Medicare doesn’t cover
3. You typically pay nothing out of pocket for Medicare-covered services

TFL Costs (2026)

TFL Overseas

Medicare doesn’t cover care outside the U.S. When TFL beneficiaries receive care overseas, TFL becomes the primary payer and covers services at the TRICARE retiree rate.

Special Programs and Demonstrations

US Family Health Plan (USFHP)

The US Family Health Plan is an additional TRICARE Prime option available in select areas through specific healthcare networks. USFHP offers Prime benefits through a closed network of providers. Available areas include portions of:

• New England (Martin’s Point)
• New York/New Jersey/Pennsylvania (Brighton Health Plan Solutions)
• Maryland/DC/Virginia (Johns Hopkins)
• Southeast Texas (CHRISTUS Health)
• Washington State (Pacific Medical Centers)
• South Texas (St. Vincent’s Family Medicine)

Competitive Plans Demonstration (2026-2028)

New for 2026: Eligible beneficiaries in metro Atlanta, GA and metro Tampa, FL can enroll in a Competitive Plans Demonstration that offers TRICARE Prime through CareSource Military & Veterans. The first-year enrollment fee is waived for participants.

How to Change Your TRICARE Plan

During Open Season

TRICARE Open Season runs November 10 through December 9 each year. During this period, you can:

• Switch from Prime to Select (or vice versa)
• Enroll in Prime or Select for the first time
• Disenroll from Prime or Select

Changes made during Open Season take effect January 1 of the following year.

Qualifying Life Events

Outside of Open Season, you can only change plans if you experience a Qualifying Life Event (QLE), such as:

• PCS move
• Marriage or divorce
• Birth or adoption of a child
• Retirement from active duty
• Loss of other health coverage
• Change in sponsor’s status

You have 90 days from a QLE to make enrollment changes.

How to Enroll or Change Plans

You can manage your TRICARE enrollment through:

• Online: milConnect
• Phone: Contact your regional contractor (Humana Military for East Region, Health Net Federal Services for West Region)
• Mail: Submit enrollment forms to your regional contractor

Frequently Asked Questions

Additional Resources:

• Military Dental and Vision Coverage
• TRICARE ECHO Guide
• 2026 TRICARE Costs: Copays, Pharmacy Fees, and Premiums Guide

Disclaimer: This article is provided by USMilitary.org, an independent educational resource. We are not affiliated with the Defense Health Agency, TRICARE, or any government agency. For official TRICARE information, visit TRICARE.mil or call 1-800-444-5445.