How To Enroll In TRICARE Prime: 2026 Guide | TRICARE.com

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## Quick answer To enroll in TRICARE Prime, you must submit an application through the Beneficiary Web Enrollment (BWE) portal, by mail, or by calling your regional contractor (Humana Military in the East; TriWest in the West). Active duty service members are enrolled automatically, but family members and retirees must actively choose a plan and may need to pay an annual enrollment fee.

Details

### 1. Check Your Eligibility Before enrolling, ensure your information is up to date in the **Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS)**. You cannot enroll in any TRICARE plan if DEERS does not accurately reflect your current military status, address, and family composition.

### 2. Choose Your Enrollment Method There are three primary ways to enroll in 2026: * **Online:** Use the [Beneficiary Web Enrollment (BWE)](https://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil/milconnect/) portal via milConnect. * **Phone:** Call your regional contractor. * **East Region:** Humana Military (1-800-444-5445) * **West Region:** TriWest Healthcare Alliance (1-888-TRIWEST) * **Mail:** Download and mail DD Form 2876 to your regional contractor.

### 3. Enrollment Deadlines and "Open Season" For most beneficiaries (excluding active duty families who just experienced a Qualifying Life Event), you can only enroll during the annual **TRICARE Open Season**, which typically runs from mid-November to mid-December. Outside of Open Season, you may only enroll or change plans if you experience a **Qualifying Life Event (QLE)** such as: * Marriage or divorce * Birth or adoption of a child * Moving to a new zip code * Retiring from active duty

### 4. 2026 Costs and Fees While Active Duty Service Members (ADSMs) and Active Duty Family Members (ADFMs) pay $0 in enrollment fees for TRICARE Prime, retirees and their families usually have an annual fee. * **Group A Retirees (Initial entry before 2018):** Expect to pay approximately $391.92 per individual or $783.84 per family (2026 estimated rates—verify exact figures on TRICARE.mil). * **Group B Retirees (Initial entry on/after Jan 1, 2018):** Rates are typically higher, often around $530+ for individuals and $1,060+ for families for the 2026 plan year.

### 5. Primary Care Manager (PCM) Assignment When you enroll in Prime, you must choose or be assigned a Primary Care Manager (PCM). This is the doctor who coordinates all your care and provides referrals for specialists. If you are in a "Prime Service Area," you will typically be required to use a Military Treatment Facility (MTF) if space is available.

## Who this affects * **Active Duty Service Members:** Mandatory enrollment in Prime or Prime Remote. * **Active Duty Family Members:** Eligible to choose Prime with no enrollment fees. * **Retirees and their Families:** Eligible for Prime in designated Prime Service Areas (requires annual fee). * **National Guard/Reserve:** Eligible only if called to active duty for more than 30 consecutive days. * **Survivors:** Eligible family members of deceased service members.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [Enrollment Page](https://www.tricare.mil/enroll) * **Humana Military (East):** [tricare-east.com](https://www.humanamilitary.com/) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West):** [www.triwest.com/en/beneficiary/](https://www.triwest.com) * **MilConnect (DEERS/BWE):** [milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil](https://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil/)