FALLS CHURCH, Va. –
Do you know how to enroll or disenroll from TRICARE? With a premium-based plan like
TRICARE Young Adult, you can do so at any time. But with
TRICARE Prime and
TRICARE Select plans, the rules for enrolling and disenrolling are different.
Enrollment
If you’re eligible, you can
enroll in or change your enrollment in TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select. You can only do this during the annual
TRICARE Open Season or following a
Qualifying Life Event (QLE). A QLE is a certain change in your life, such as moving, marriage, birth of a child, or retirement from active duty. Different
TRICARE health plan options may be available to you and your family after a QLE. If one family member experiences a QLE, all eligible family members may make enrollment changes.
To enroll in or change your health plan after a QLE, you must:
You don’t have to re-enroll every year to continue TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select coverage. As long as you remain eligible, you’ll stay in your current plan.
Disenrollment
Active duty family members and retirees and their family members may choose to voluntarily
disenroll from their TRICARE plan. Voluntary disenrollment isn’t an option for active duty service members (ADSMs). ADSMs must stay enrolled in TRICARE Prime.
What happens if you disenroll? You won’t be able to re-enroll in TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select coverage until the next open season, or until you or a family member experience a QLE. You and your family members won’t have TRICARE coverage. All of your civilian health care claims will be denied. However, you can still get care at a
military hospital or clinic if space is available, and you’ve met all TRICARE eligibility requirements.
“Certain events will cause you to be disenrolled from TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select, like losing your eligibility, or not paying your enrollment fees,” said Mark Ellis, chief of the Policy and Programs Section of the TRICARE Health Plan at the Defense Health Agency. “It’s important to know your plan rules, because if you’re disenrolled, you may experience a lapse in coverage.”
Find
disenrollment forms or log in to
milConnect and follow the instructions to disenroll. To learn more about enrolling in or disenrolling from TRICARE, download the
TRICARE Plans Overview and the
Qualifying Life Events Fact Sheet. Keep in mind, you can also reach out to your
TRICARE contractor with questions.
Looking to catch up on the latest TRICARE news? Be sure to check out your region’s latest issue of the TRICARE Health Matters Newsletter to read more articles like this
. You’ll learn how to find a provider, get preventive and routine care, understand costs, and more.