TRICARE Mental Health Costs & Coverage (2026 Guide) | TRICARE.com

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## Quick answer Mental health costs vary significantly based on your beneficiary status and the plan you use. For Active Duty Service Members (ADSMs), mental health care is available with $0 out-of-pocket costs, while retirees and family members on TRICARE Select or Prime may pay copayments ranging from $20 to $116 per visit depending on the provider's network status.

Details

### Active Duty Care Active Duty Service Members (ADSMs) pay **$0** for all medically necessary mental health care. While care at Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) is preferred, referrals for off-base care carry no copays or cost-shares for the service member.

### TRICARE Prime (Family Members and Retirees) For those enrolled in Prime, costs are determined by the beneficiary category: * **Active Duty Family Members (ADFMs):** $0 for in-network care. No referral is required for outpatient office visits (such as therapy or psychiatry) from an in-network provider, but authorization is required for specialized services like Psychoanalysis. * **Retirees and their families:** Expect to pay a fixed copayment for outpatient mental health visits. For 2026, these rates generally align with primary care or specialty care copays (typically **$25 to $40 per visit**). * **Point-of-Service (POS):** If you see a mental health provider without a referral (when one is required) or use a non-network provider, you will face a deductible and a 50% cost-share.

### TRICARE Select (Family Members and Retirees) Under TRICARE Select, your costs depend on whether you are in Group A (enlisted before 2018) or Group B (enlisted after 2018). * **In-Network Outpatient:** Copays for 2026 typically range from **$30 to $58** per visit for Group A retirees. * **Out-of-Network:** You will likely pay a percentage of the "allowable charge" (often **20–25%**) after meeting your annual deductible.

### Inpatient Mental Health and Residential Treatment Costs for inpatient psychiatric care or Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment are handled differently: * **ADFMs on Prime:** $0. * **Retirees on Prime:** A per-diem rate (e.g., ~$25/day) or a flat fee depending on the facility type. * **TRICARE Select:** You may be charged a per-day fee or a percentage of the total cost (e.g., 20% for Group B).

### The "Eight-Visit" Rule and Referrals Formerly, TRICARE required a referral for almost all mental health visits. Currently, **referrals are not required** for most outpatient mental health office visits with a TRICARE-authorized provider. However, if you require intensive outpatient programs (IOP), partial hospitalization programs (PHP), or residential treatment, prior authorization is mandatory.

## Who this affects * **Active Duty Service Members:** Always $0 out-of-pocket for covered care. * **Active Duty Family Members:** No cost on Prime; deductible/cost-shares on Select. * **Retirees and Families:** Fixed copays on Prime; higher percentages on Select. * **National Guard and Reserve:** Costs align with TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS), which mirrors many Select-style cost-shares for 2026.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [Mental Health Care Overview](https://www.tricare.mil/mentalhealth) * **TriWest (West Region):** [Behavioral Health Care Services](https://www.triwest.com) * **Humana Military (East Region):** [Mental Health Benefits](https://www.humanamilitary.com) * **TRICARE.mil Costs:** [Compare Costs Tool](https://www.tricare.mil/costs)