TRICARE East Region: 2026 Costs, States, and Contractor | TRICARE.com

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## Quick answer The TRICARE **East Region** covers 32 states in the Eastern United States, plus the District of Columbia. As of 2026, the TRICARE East regional contractor is **Humana Military**, which manages the provider network, processes claims, and handles customer service for millions of military beneficiaries across the eastern half of the country.

## In detail The TRICARE East Region was formed by the merger of the former North and South regions and remains one of the two primary domestic regions under the T-5 contract (the other being the West Region).

### Geography and Oversight The East Region includes: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa (Rock Island area), Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri (St. Louis area), New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas (only the eastern part), Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

### The Regional Contractor: Humana Military Humana Military is responsible for: * **Provider Network:** Maintaining the list of "Network Providers" who accept TRICARE-negotiated rates. * **Claims Processing:** Paying doctors and hospitals for services provided to beneficiaries. * **Referrals/Authorizations:** Managing the approval process for specialty care for TRICARE Prime beneficiaries. * **Enrollment:** Managing the enrollment of beneficiaries into Prime or Select plans.

### 2026 Plan Costs (Group A) Costs depend on when the sponsor entered service (Group A vs. Group B). Below are 2026 East Region rates for Group A (sponsored entered service before Jan 1, 2018):

| Plan Type | Status | Annual Enrollment Fee | Primary Care Copay | Specialty Care Copay | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **TRICARE Prime** | Active Duty | $0 | $0 | $0 | | **TRICARE Prime** | Retiree/Family | $393 (Indiv.) / $786 (Fam.) | $25 | $41 | | **TRICARE Select** | Active Duty | $0 | $0 (In-Network) | $0 (In-Network) | | **TRICARE Select** | Retiree/Family | $189 (Indiv.) / $378 (Fam.) | $37 | $52 |

*Note: Out-of-network costs are significantly higher under TRICARE Select. Always verify a provider is "In-Network" with Humana Military via their provider directory.*

### Accessing Care in the East If you live in the East Region, you generally have three ways to get care: 1. **Military Hospitals and Clinics:** Priority is given to TRICARE Prime enrollees. 2. **Network Providers:** Civilian doctors contracted with Humana Military. 3. **Non-Network Providers:** Doctors who may or may not participate in TRICARE (Select only; Prime requires a referral for non-network care).

## Who this applies to * **Active Duty Service Members (ADSMs):** Stationed in East Region states. They must enroll in TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Prime Remote. * **Active Duty Family Members (ADFMs):** Living in the East Region; can choose Prime or Select. * **Retirees and their Families:** Living in the East Region; must pay annual enrollment fees to maintain coverage. * **National Guard and Reserve:** Those residing in the East Region who are eligible for TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS).

Common scenarios

### Moving within the East Region Master Sergeant Miller moves from Fort Liberty, NC, to Fort Campbell, KY. Because both are in the East Region, he remains with Humana Military. He updates his address in DEERS and contacts Humana Military to switch his Primary Care Manager (PCM) to a new clinic in Kentucky. There is no change in his plan structure or pharmacy benefits.

### Moving from West to East A Navy Petty Officer and his family move from San Diego (West Region, managed by TriWest) to Jacksonville, FL (East Region). They must "transfer enrollment" to the East Region. Their coverage shifts from TriWest Healthcare Alliance to Humana Military. Any existing referrals for special care must be re-authorized by Humana Military.

### Retiree Specialty Care A retired veteran in Virginia (East Region) has TRICARE Select. She sees a cardiologist who is in the Humana Military network. In 2026, she pays a specialty care copay of $52 per visit (Group A retiree rate) after her annual deductible is met.

## Related terms * **Humana Military:** The current private contractor for the East Region. * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance:** The current private contractor for the West Region. * **T-5 Contract:** The fifth generation of TRICARE contracts which defined the current East/West split. * **Referral:** An order from your PCM to see a specialist; Humana Military must approve this for Prime members. * **Point-of-Service (POS) Option:** A TRICARE Prime feature allowing East Region members to see non-network doctors without a referral for a much higher cost.

## Sources * TRICARE.mil: TRICARE Regions [https://www.tricare.mil/About/Regions](https://www.tricare.mil/About/Regions) * Humana Military: Official East Region Contractor Site [https://www.humanamilitary.com/](https://www.humanamilitary.com/) * TRICARE.mil: 2026 Costs and Fees [https://www.tricare.mil/Costs](https://www.tricare.mil/Costs)