As of Jan. 1, 2021, TRICARE Select Group A retirees are required to pay enrollment fees each month. If you didn’t set up your enrollment fees for TRICARE Select or TRICARE Overseas Program Select coverage last year, you were disenrolled from your plan effective Dec. 31, 2020 (TRICARE Select replaced TRICARE Standard and TRICARE Extra in 2018.). If you want to have TRICARE Select coverage this year, you must request reinstatement with your TRICARE contractor. You have until June 30, 2021 to make your request.
“We don’t want to leave anyone behind who may have been disenrolled from TRICARE Select, but wants to keep their TRICARE coverage,” said Mark Ellis, chief of the Policy Programs Section of the TRICARE Health Plan at the Defense Health Agency. “In order for us to continue to support your health care needs through the TRICARE program, you must take action to reinstate your coverage.”
Your TRICARE contractor will contact you about changes to your coverage. However, you do have a choice. If you don’t want to reinstate your TRICARE Select coverage, then your TRICARE contractor can process your voluntary disenrollment. If eligible, you’ll have a chance to re-enroll in TRICARE Select or a TRICARE Prime plan during TRICARE Open Season this year. You can also enroll in a TRICARE plan after a Qualifying Life Event.
If you wish to remain enrolled in TRICARE Select, go to your TRICARE contractor’s website for options on how you can reinstate your coverage.
Once you request reinstatement, your TRICARE Select coverage will be reinstated back to Jan. 1, 2021. This means you’ll also have to pay enrollment fees back to that date. TRICARE recommends you have your future enrollment fees be deducted automatically monthly via allotment, when feasible. If you can’t or choose not to pay by allotment, you can set up your recurring payments using your bank account or a debit/credit card. If you have questions about your payment options, refer to your TRICARE contractor’s website.
“If you don’t request reinstatement, you’ll only be able to get care from a military hospital or clinic if space is available,” added Ellis. “You’ll also be responsible for covering all of your civilian health care costs.”
For Group A retirees, here are the TRICARE Select enrollment fees.
- For an individual plan, you’ll pay $12.50 per month or $150 annually.
- For a family plan, you’ll pay $25 per month or $300 annually.
You’re in Group A if you or your sponsor’s initial enlistment or appointment occurred before Jan. 1, 2018. However, if you meet requirements, there is no enrollment fee if you’re:
- An active duty family member
- A medically retired retiree or family member
- A survivor of an active duty member who died on active duty
If you’re in Group B (sponsor initially joined the military on or after Jan. 1, 2018), there is no change for you because you currently pay TRICARE Select enrollment fees. Also, if you use TRICARE For Life, TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Reserve Select, TRICARE Retired Reserve, or TRICARE Young Adult, this change doesn’t affect you. To check your plan’s costs, you can refer to the TRICARE Costs and Fees Sheet or go to TRICARE Costs.
If you were disenrolled from TRICARE Select for failure to pay your enrollment fees, and wish to be reinstated, go to your TRICARE contractor’s website to see reinstatement options. Remember that you have until June 30 of this year to request your reinstatement. If you still have questions about this change, you can check out TRICARE Select Enrollment Fees. Take command of your health.