FALLS CHURCH, Va. –
Welcoming a new member to your family is a major milestone.
Enrolling your newborn in TRICARE is an important step to make sure they have health care coverage from day one. TRICARE enrollment for newborns involves three key steps:
- Registering your child in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System
- Enrolling them in a TRICARE health plan
- Verifying coverage
“Registering your newborn in DEERS as soon as possible helps ensure a smooth transition into TRICARE coverage,” said Zelly Zim, senior program analyst, TRICARE Health Plan Policy & Programs Division at the Defense Health Agency. “Taking this step early gives families time to confirm enrollment, understand their plan options, and avoid delays in care.”
The exact process and timing depend on where your baby is born.
Step 1: Register your newborn in DEERS
You must register your newborn in DEERS before they can have TRICARE coverage. This applies whether you give birth in the U.S. or overseas, but registration deadlines vary. If your child was born:
- In the U.S.: You have 90 days from their date of birth to register them in DEERS.
- Overseas: You have 120 days from their date of birth to register them in DEERS.
To register:
Note: You don’t need to wait for a Social Security number to enroll your child in DEERS. But when you get one, you should add it to their DEERS record.
Step 2: Confirm or enroll in a TRICARE health plan
Once your child is in DEERS, the next step is enrolling them in a TRICARE plan. What happens next depends on where you live and your military status.
Active duty families in the U.S.
- After DEERS registration, your child is automatically enrolled in a TRICARE health plan based on your home location. This is typically TRICARE Prime if you live in a Prime Service Area, or TRICARE Select if you don’t.
- You have 90 days from the automatic enrollment date to change your child’s plan if desired.
- Call your TRICARE regional contractor to confirm enrollment and request a primary care manager assignment, if necessary.
Active duty families overseas
Retirees
- After DEERS registration, your child shows as Direct Care Only. This means they can only get care at military hospitals or clinics if space is available.
- To have full TRICARE coverage, you must enroll your child in a TRICARE plan:
- Stateside (within 90 days): TRICARE Prime (if you live in a Prime Service Area), TRICARE Select, or the US Family Health Plan
- Overseas (within 120 days): TRICARE Select Overseas
- If you don’t enroll your child on time, claims will deny starting on day 91 (stateside) or day 121 (overseas). Your child will remain Direct Care Only until the next TRICARE Open Season or qualifying life event.
Sponsors enrolled in TRICARE Reserve Select or TRICARE Retired Reserve
- After DEERS registration, your child shows as No Health Care Coverage until you enroll them in TRICARE Reserve Select or TRICARE Retired Reserve.
- You must enroll your child and pay the required premiums within the applicable timeframe (90 days in the U.S. or 120 days overseas), if desired. If you complete enrollment on time, coverage is effective from your child’s date of birth.
- If you don’t enroll your child on time, they won’t have TRICARE coverage, and claims may deny. Late enrollment means coverage won’t be effective from the date of birth.
Step 3: Verify coverage
Even though enrollment is automatic in some cases, it’s important to confirm your child’s coverage. Contact your TRICARE regional contractor to:
- Verify your child’s enrollment
- Confirm plan details
- Assign or update a PCM, if applicable
This final step helps prevent delays in care or denied claims.
More tips for a smooth enrollment process
- Start the DEERS registration soon after birth.
- Keep copies of your child’s birth documentation (birth certificate or FS-240), which you’ll need for both DEERS and plan enrollment.
- Having a baby, or adopting a child, is a TRICARE Qualifying Life Event. This opens a 90-day window for all family members to make plan changes, once your child is registered in DEERS, as described in the TRICARE Qualifying Life Events Fact Sheet.
Where to learn more
Enrolling your newborn in TRICARE is an important step in ensuring access to care from the start. By registering your newborn in DEERS on time and confirming enrollment in a TRICARE health plan, you can help avoid gaps in coverage and delays in care. For more guidance, you can:
Taking these steps early can help your family focus on what matters the most during your newborn’s first days.
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