TRICARE After Divorce: Eligibility & 20/20/20 Rules | TRICARE.com

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## Quick answer After a divorce, a non-military spouse usually loses TRICARE coverage immediately unless they meet specific "20/20/20" or "20/20/15" criteria based on the length of the marriage and the member's service. Children of the marriage typically remain eligible for TRICARE as dependents of the military sponsor, regardless of the parents' marital status.

Details

When a divorce decree is finalized, the military sponsor must update the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). This action triggers a Change in Family Composition, which is a **Qualifying Life Event (QLE)**.

### The 20/20/20 Rule (Lifetime Eligibility) A former spouse can keep TRICARE coverage for life (or until they remarry) if they meet all three of these requirements: 1. Married to the same military member for at least **20 years**. 2. The military member performed at least **20 years** of service toward retirement. 3. The marriage and the 20 years of service overlapped by at least **20 years**.

### The 20/20/15 Rule (1-Year Transition) If the marriage and the service overlapped by only **15 years** (instead of 20), the former spouse is eligible for only **one year** of TRICARE coverage following the divorce. After that year, coverage expires.

### Important Restrictions for Former Spouses * **Remarriage:** If a former spouse remarries, they lose TRICARE eligibility permanently, even if they met the 20/20/20 rule. * **Employer Plans:** If a former spouse is covered by an employer-sponsored health plan, they cannot use TRICARE. * **Costs:** For 2026, former spouses who qualify under the 20/20/20 or 20/20/15 rules generally pay the same out-of-pocket costs and enrollment fees as retirees and their family members (Category Group A or B depending on when the sponsor joined).

### If You Don’t Qualify (CHBP) If you do not meet the 20/20/20 or 20/20/15 rules, TRICARE coverage ends at midnight on the day the divorce is finalized. You may purchase the **Continued Health Benefit Program (CHBP)**. This is a premium-based plan that acts as a bridge between military and civilian insurance. * **Duration:** Typically provides up to 36 months of coverage. * **2026 Costs:** CHBP premiums are high because the individual pays the full cost plus administrative fees. (Check TRICARE.mil for specific 2026 quarterly premium updates).

### Coverage for Children Children do not lose TRICARE because of a divorce. As long as the military sponsor remains eligible, the children remain eligible until age 21 (or 23 if a full-time student). The sponsor must still update DEERS with the divorce decree, but the children's status remains "dependent."

## Who this affects * **Active Duty Spouses:** High impact; coverage usually ends immediately upon divorce. * **Retired Spouses:** Impacted; eligibility depends strictly on the 20/20/20 rule. * **Biological/Adopted Children:** Low impact; eligibility is maintained through the military parent. * **Step-children:** High impact; coverage ends for step-children unless the military member has legally adopted them.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [Rights and Entitlements for Former Spouses](https://www.tricare.mil/PlanInfo/Eligibility/FormerSpouses) * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** [Qualifying Life Events - Divorce](https://www.tricare.mil/LifeEvents/Divorce) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West Region):** [Managing Eligibility](https://www.triwest.com) * **Humana Military (East Region):** [Beneficiary Enrollment Services](https://www.humanamilitary.com)