TRICARE open enrollment season is here!
The annual period where you can change your health coverage for the next calendar year is open from November 9 – December 14, 2020. Any changes made to enrollment during this period will be effective starting January 1, 2021. Anyone currently enrolled in or eligible for a TRICARE Prime or Select healthcare plan option is able to change enrollment among these plans.
3 Options During Open Enrollment:
- Stay in your plan. If you do not want to change your current plan, you do not need to do anything as long as you are eligible.
- Enroll in a plan for the first time. If you are eligible for TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select but are not currently enrolled, open enrollment is the time to do so.
- Change plans. During this enrollment period you can switch from TRICARE Prime options to TRICARE Select. You can also switch from individual or family enrollment.
Enrolled Retirees with an initial enrollment date before January 1, 2018 or family members enrolled in TRICARE Select have new fees beginning January 1, 2021.
Can you make changes outside of open enrollment?
In order to make changes outside of open enrollment, you must have a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). A QLE includes but is not limited to a relocation to a new location, marriage, birth of a child or retirement from active duty. A new pregnancy no longer counts as a QLE. Within the 90 period from those events, you can make enrollment changes as eligible.
FEDVIP Enrollment
FEDVIP is the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program. Eligibility for this program runs open enrollment during the same time as TRICARE. Check eligibility and compare plans here.
What are the TRICARE plans?
There are several TRICARE health plans. Active Duty military and their families living at most military bases are eligible for TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select. Read more about each plan to know what you are eligible for and what it covers.
The basic plans are TRICARE Prime and Select, with branches off of those based on locations.
TRICARE Prime – Active Duty are automatically enrolled in this program. For families, this program provides are with a military or network provider without copays except in cases of using point-of-service options. Primary Care Managers provider care and referrals as needed to specialists.
TRICARE Prime Remote – Command-sponsored active duty and family members whose sponsor’s home and work addresses are more than 50 miles from a military hospital or clinic.
TRICARE Prime Overseas – Command-sponsored active duty and family members living overseas are seen by military or network providers.
TRICARE Prime Remote Overseas – Command-sponsored active duty and family members living in remote locations overseas including Eurasia-Africa, Latin America, Canada and areas in the Pacific.
TRICARE Select – Family members and retirees are seen by Tricare-authorized providers chosen by them, and no referrals from a primary care manager are required. A deductible, cost share and enrollment fees may be required.
TRICARE Select Overseas – Family members can see any overseas provider without referrals. A deductible, cost share and enrollment fees may be required.
The following healthcare plans can be enrolled in outside of open enrollment if eligibility criteria are met per the links provided below.
TRICARE For Life – TRICARE eligible beneficiaries who have Medicare A and B.
TRICARE Reserve Select – Qualified Selected Reserve members and their families are eligible for this healthcare plan.
TRICARE Retired Reserves – Retired Reserve members are eligible to purchase this healthcare plan.
TRICARE Young Adult – This premium-based insurance is available for adult children through age 25.
US Family Health Plan – Enrollment is available to those who live in an area where this care is available.
Healthcare options can be confusing. Gather all the information you can to make an informed decision that works best for your family.
