TRICARE Prenatal Care Costs: 2026 Guide to Maternity Fees

*Note: TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not the official TRICARE program or the Defense Health Agency. Visit TRICARE.mil for official policy and coverage updates.*

## Quick answer For most beneficiaries, TRICARE covers all medically necessary prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum care with **$0 out-of-pocket costs**. Active duty service members and their families on Prime plans typically pay nothing, while retirees and those on Select plans may pay small cost-shares or copayments depending on their beneficiary group.

Details

TRICARE views maternity care as a bundled service. This means all routine prenatal visits, childbirth, and standard follow-up care are generally billed together. Costs are determined by your plan type (Prime vs. Select) and your sponsor status (Active Duty vs. Retiree).

### TRICARE Prime (All Versions) If you are an Active Duty Service Member (ADSM) or an Active Duty Family Member (ADFM) enrolled in TRICARE Prime, Remote, or Prime Overseas, your prenatal care is covered at **$0**. * **Cost:** $0 copay for all routine prenatal visits. * **Delivery:** $0 for inpatient delivery at military or network hospitals. * **Postpartum:** $0 for standard follow-up care (usually up to 6 weeks). * **Note for Retirees:** Retirees and their families on Prime may have small copays for office visits and a per-diem charge for hospital stays (e.g., approximately $25–$40 per day in 2026, varies by facility type).

### TRICARE Select TRICARE Select offers more flexibility in choosing providers but involves cost-sharing. * **ADFMs:** In 2026, most ADFMs on Select pay $0 for office visits but may face a small cost-share for the actual hospital delivery. * **Retirees/Others:** If you are in Group A (sponsor enlisted before 2018), you typically pay a percentage of the allowable charge (e.g., 20%) after meeting your deductible. If you are in Group B (sponsor enlisted after Jan 1, 2018), you pay fixed copays. * **2026 Example:** For a Group B retiree on Select, the cost for an in-network delivery might be a fixed fee of several hundred dollars, whereas prenatal visits are often covered as part of the total maternity package.

### Covered Services vs. Non-Covered Services TRICARE covers: * Routine prenatal exams and screenings. * Ultrasounds (if medically necessary). * Amniocentesis/CVS (for high-risk pregnancies). * Anesthesia (epidurals). * Breast pumps and supplies.

TRICARE generally **does not** cover: * Private hospital rooms (unless medically necessary). * Ultrasounds for "keepsake" or gender-reveal purposes (non-medical). * Doulas (except under the specific Maternity Care TRICARE Pilot program). * Cord blood banking (unless medically necessary for a current condition).

### The 2025/2026 Contractor Shift As of January 1, 2025, **TriWest Healthcare Alliance** manages the West Region under the T-5 contract. If you are in the West Region, ensure your OB-GYN is in the TriWest network to keep costs at the "Network" rate. In the East Region, **Humana Military** continues as the contractor.

## Who this affects * **Active Duty Service Members:** $0 costs for all medically necessary care. * **Active Duty Family Members:** Typically $0 under Prime; low cost-shares under Select. * **Retirees & Families:** Variable copays or cost-shares based on plan (Prime vs. Select) and Group (A vs. B). * **National Guard & Reserve:** Covered via TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) with costs similar to ADFM Select beneficiaries. * **Survivors:** Benefits remain available, usually at retiree rates unless the sponsor was active duty at the time of death.

## Sources 1. **TRICARE.mil Maternity Care Overview:** https://www.tricare.mil/maternity 2. **Humana Military (East Region):** https://www.humanamilitary.com/ 3. **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West Region):** https://www.triwest.com/ 4. **TRICARE Cost Search Tool:** https://www.tricare.mil/costs