An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

News | Aug. 10, 2021

Can Your Young Adult Maintain TRICARE Coverage After 21? Learn How With TYA Fact Sheet

Is your son or daughter turning 21 or graduating from college soon? If so, it may be a good time to look into TRICARE Young Adult (TYA). Now, why is TYA so important? Adult dependent children lose regular TRICARE coverage once they turn 21, or 23 if enrolled in college. But with TYA coverage, your child will continue to get the medical and pharmacy benefits they need up until age 26. The TRICARE Young Adult Program Fact Sheet can help you learn all about it.
 
“The TYA fact sheet is one of many resources to help parents and their young adult children understand how TYA works,” said Robert Agnello, deputy chief of Digital Communications, TRICARE Web and Publications, at the Defense Health Agency. “Health care coverage is essential for young adults, and we want to make sure they’re getting the most out of it.”
 
If you’re a TRICARE parent of a young adult, here are three things this fact sheet can help you learn.
 
1. If your child is eligible for TYA
Your child will need to be at least age 21—or 23 if they were previously a full-time college student—to possibly be eligible for TYA coverage. They must also be a dependent child of an eligible uniformed service sponsor. These two eligibility requirements are important. But they aren’t the only ones. Make sure you check out the “Who Qualifies?” section on the first page of the fact sheet to learn about other TYA eligibility requirements.
 
2. Costs associated with TYA
Another way the TYA fact sheet comes in handy is that it helps you assess your child’s TYA costs. As outlined in the fact sheet, TYA is an individual premium-based plan. That means you must pay a monthly premium for health care coverage. How much is that premium? That depends on whether your child is enrolled in TYA Prime or TYA Select. TYA also has separate costs based on sponsor status and beneficiary group. Learn more about those costs under the “TRICARE Young Adult Costs and Fees” section.
 
3. When and how your child can enroll in TYA
Did you know TRICARE Open Season doesn’t apply to TYA and other premium-based plans? That means those qualified for TYA can purchase coverage at any time. With TYA, your adult child may have the option of choosing either TYA Prime or TYA Select. You or your child can purchase TYA coverage online, by phone, or by mail. Purchasing TYA coverage is simple. See “Purchasing TRICARE Young Adult” section to learn more. Remember, your child must show as TRICARE eligible in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System to get TYA.
 
What else can you learn by reading the TRICARE Young Adult Program Fact Sheet? You’ll learn about the differences between TYA Prime and TYA Select, how you can end coverage if you wish, and much more. So, check out the fact sheet, and be sure to take the Publications Feedback Survey to share your thoughts.
Map of West Region states and TRICARE logo. Text: Referral approval waiver: Referral approvals are waived through June 30.

Defense Health Agency Extends Referral Approval ...

News
Apr. 30, 2025

Do you live in the West Region? Do you have TRICARE Prime? You should know that the Defense Health Agency has...
Read More
TRICARE logo; map of West Region U.S. states in blue. Text reads "Attention West Region Beneficiaries: Submit your payments by April 30 to avoid disenrollment. If you are disenrolled, call TriWest at 888-TRIWEST to reinstate your TRICARE health plan."

Disenrolled From Your TRICARE Plan in the West R...

News
Apr. 29, 2025

Do you currently live in the TRICARE West Region? Do you pay for your TRICARE coverage using a bank electronic...
Read More
Drop off unused, unneeded, or expired drugs at military pharmacies in the U.S.

Safely Dispose of Unused Prescriptions on April ...

News
Apr. 24, 2025

Did you know that Saturday, April 26, is the next National Drug Take Back Day? It’s a day to safely dispose of...
Read More
TRICARE For Life Handbook graphic

Want To Learn About TRICARE For Life? Check Out ...

News
Apr. 22, 2025

You may be approaching age 65, or you may have a disability or a medical condition that makes you eligible for...
Read More
Smiling woman stands in front of American flag.

Unlock Your Health: Need Help With Your TRICARE ...

News
Apr. 18, 2025

Did you know that military hospitals and clinics have support staff who can help you navigate your TRICARE...
Read More
Four young children stand in a huddle, laughing and holding a soccer ball. Text reads: Stay in the Game - Stop Measles Before It Starts! Defense Health Agency and Unlock Your Health text.

Measles Cases on the Rise in the U.S.: Recognize...

News
Apr. 17, 2025

You may have heard about the ongoing measles outbreak in the U.S. Measles is a highly contagious illness that...
Read More
Uniformed service member answers phone standing in front of computer screen

TRICARE’s Near Patient Program: What To Know

News
Apr. 15, 2025

For service members and their family members living overseas, challenges like language barriers and unfamiliar...
Read More
Graphic with TRICARE logo that reads, "Patients needed on April 25 for a focus group discussion on menopause. Sign up deadline is April 24. Learn if you qualify." Drawing of three womn sitting around a laptop.

Provide Feedback on Clinical Practice Guidelines...

News
Apr. 10, 2025

Did you know that your feedback could be a key ingredient in developing health policies, treatments, and...
Read More

April 30, 2025

Defense Health Agency Extends Referral Approval Waiver Through June 30 for West Region TRICARE Prime Enrollees

Do you live in the West Region? Do you have TRICARE Prime? You should know that the Defense Health Agency has extended the West Region referral approval waiver through June 30. TRICARE-authorized specialty care providers don’t need to wait for TriWest Healthcare Alliance to approve referrals issued by your primary care manager before providing outpatient care.

April 29, 2025

Disenrolled From Your TRICARE Plan in the West Region? Here’s How To Reinstate Your Coverage After April 30

Do you currently live in the TRICARE West Region? Do you pay for your TRICARE coverage using a bank electronic funds transfer, credit card, or debit card? If you haven’t done so already, you must securely provide your payment information to the West Region contractor, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, by April 30. If you haven’t submitted payment to TriWest by April 30, you and your family members will be disenrolled from your TRICARE plan on May 1. This disenrollment is retroactive to your paid-through date.

April 24, 2025

Safely Dispose of Unused Prescriptions on April 26, National Drug Take Back Day

Did you know that Saturday, April 26, is the next National Drug Take Back Day? It’s a day to safely dispose of unwanted, expired, or excess medications. But it’s also important to know that military pharmacies offer ways to safely dispose of drugs all year long through the Military Health System Drug Take Back program.

April 22, 2025

Want To Learn About TRICARE For Life? Check Out This Handbook

You may be approaching age 65, or you may have a disability or a medical condition that makes you eligible for Medicare and TRICARE For Life before you turn age 65. In either case, you’ll benefit from checking out the TRICARE For Life Handbook.

April 18, 2025

Unlock Your Health: Need Help With Your TRICARE Benefit? A Beneficiary Counseling and Assistance Coordinator Can Help

Did you know that military hospitals and clinics have support staff who can help you navigate your TRICARE benefit? These include Beneficiary Counseling and Assistance Coordinators. You can find them at any military hospital or clinic.

April 17, 2025

Measles Cases on the Rise in the U.S.: Recognize the Symptoms and Protect Your Family

You may have heard about the ongoing measles outbreak in the U.S. Measles is a highly contagious illness that can cause serious complications. Anyone who isn’t protected against measles can get the illness—and children are especially at risk of getting seriously sick.

April 15, 2025

TRICARE’s Near Patient Program: What To Know

For service members and their family members living overseas, challenges like language barriers and unfamiliar health systems may make getting medical care stressful. But getting health care overseas doesn’t have to be difficult. Luckily, TRICARE offers the Near Patient Program to help monitor your medical care and assist you in ten overseas locations.

April 10, 2025

Provide Feedback on Clinical Practice Guidelines in Joint DOD, VA Patient Focus Groups: Menopause Discussion on April 25

Did you know that your feedback could be a key ingredient in developing health policies, treatments, and models of care for the military and veteran healthcare systems? The Department of Defense and Veterans Health Administration are seeking volunteers for four upcoming virtual patient focus groups. The next focus group, on diagnosing and treating menopause, is on April 25 at 2 p.m. ET. The deadline to register is April 24 at 5 p.m. ET.

April 8, 2025

New TRICARE Drive Time Waiver Policy Makes it Easier To Keep Your Primary Care Manager if You Move

Are you moving to a new home? Is it more than a 30-minute drive from your primary care manager? If so, TRICARE is making it simpler to keep your TRICARE Prime coverage. Now, most families who live more than 30 minutes but less than 100 miles from their PCM can continue seeing them without taking action.

April 3, 2025

Q&A: Your TRICARE Catastrophic Cap

You can’t always predict your family’s healthcare needs. But you can know the most you could have to pay for TRICARE covered services. TRICARE calls this your catastrophic cap. Your catastrophic cap limits how much you and your family will pay for TRICARE covered healthcare services each calendar year.