Reserve Retirement Points & TRICARE Eligibility Guide | TRICARE.com

*Note: TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not the official TRICARE program or a government entity. For official policy, visit TRICARE.mil.*

## Quick answer Reserve retirement points determine when you become eligible for TRICARE retiree health benefits. While you can typically begin drawing retired pay and access TRICARE Select or Prime at age 60, "Reduced Age Retirement" allows you to move that date up by three months for every 90 days of qualifying active duty served after January 28, 2008.

Details

Retirement points are the currency of the National Guard and Reserve, but their impact on TRICARE depends on which phase of retirement you are in.

### 1. The Road to "Gray Area" Retirement To qualify for non-regular retirement, you generally need 20 qualifying years (at least 50 points per year). Once you reach 20 years and receive your "Notice of Eligibility," you become a "Gray Area" retiree. During this stage—before you reach your actual retirement age (usually 60)—you are eligible for **TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR)**.

TRR is a premium-based plan. For the 2026 plan year, premiums vary but remain significantly higher than standard retiree plans because the government does not subsidize them during the Gray Area period.

### 2. The Age 60 Benchmark and "Reduced Age Retirement" Normally, TRICARE standard retiree benefits (Select and Prime) begin at age 60. However, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) allows members of the Ready Reserve to reduce their retirement age based on active duty service performed after Jan. 28, 2008. * **The Rule:** For every 90 days of qualifying service within a single fiscal year, your retirement age for pay and TRICARE eligibility drops by three months. * **The Floor:** You cannot begin receiving retired pay or standard TRICARE benefits earlier than age 50. * **Impact on TRICARE:** Once you reach your "reduced age" and begin receiving retired pay, you transition from the expensive TRR premiums to the lower-cost **TRICARE Retired Select** or **TRICARE Prime** (if living in a Prime Service Area).

### 3. Point Categories and Their Value While all points count toward your monthly retired pay amount, they function differently for TRICARE eligibility milestones: * **Active Duty Points:** Earned via Title 10 or certain Title 32 orders. These are the primary points used to calculate "Reduced Age Retirement." * **Inactive Duty Training (IDT) Points:** Earned during drills. These count toward the 20-year requirement but do not reduce your retirement age. * **Membership Points:** 15 points granted annually just for being in an active status. These help you reach the 20-year "Good Year" mark. * **Correspondence Courses:** Though largely phased out for new point accrual, historical points still count toward your total "retired pay multiplier."

### 4. Transitioning Benefits Once you hit your retirement age (60 or earlier via reduced age), you must take action. Eligibility for TRICARE Select/Prime as a retiree is not automatic; you must enroll during an Open Season or following a Qualifying Life Event (QLE), such as the date you begin receiving retired pay.

## Who this affects * **National Guard and Reserve members** tracking their "Good Years" for retirement. * **Gray Area Retirees** currently paying for TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR). * **Retired Reservists** approaching age 60 (or their reduced age) who need to transition to TRICARE Select or Prime. * **Family members** of reservists whose coverage depends on the sponsor's retirement status.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [Retiring from the National Guard or Reserve](https://www.tricare.mil/LifeEvents/Retiring/GuardReserve) * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** [TRICARE Retired Reserve Costs](https://www.tricare.mil/Costs/HealthPlanCosts/TRR) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance:** [Provider and Beneficiary Resources (West Region)](https://www.triwest.com) * **Humana Military:** [Retiree Benefits Overview (East Region)](https://www.humanamilitary.com)