TRICARE During PCS: Moving Guide & Enrollment Steps | TRICARE.com

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## Quick answer When you undergo a Permanent Change of Station (PCS), your TRICARE coverage moves with you, but your enrollment does **not** transfer automatically. A PCS is a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) that gives you 90 days from the date of your move to update your address in DEERS and switch your plan or primary care manager to your new location.

Details

### 1. Update DEERS First The most critical step in a PCS is updating the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). Your TRICARE coverage is tied to your address in this system. If your address is incorrect, your claims may be denied because the system thinks you are seeking care out-of-region.

### 2. The 90-Day Window Because a PCS is a Qualifying Life Event, you have a 90-day window starting from the date of your move to: * Enroll in a new TRICARE plan (e.g., switching from Prime to Select). * Transfer your existing enrollment to your new region. * Change your Primary Care Manager (PCM).

### 3. Regional Transitions (T-5 Contract) As of 2026, TRICARE is managed by two primary regional contractors. If you move across the Mississippi River, you will likely change contractors: * **TRICARE East:** Managed by Humana Military. * **TRICARE West:** Managed by TriWest Healthcare Alliance.

If moving between regions, you must contact the new contractor to set up your enrollment. If moving within the same region, you simply need to assign a new PCM at your new installation.

### 4. Moving with TRICARE Prime vs. Select * **TRICARE Prime:** Active Duty Service Members (ADSMs) must stay on Prime. You must coordinate with your new TRICARE Service Center or the regional contractor to assign a new PCM. Do not seek non-emergency care in your new location until the transfer is processed, or you may face Point-of-Service (POS) charges. * **TRICARE Select:** Active duty family members or retirees on Select have more flexibility. Since you don't have a PCM, you can see any TRICARE-authorized provider at your new base, but you must still update your address in DEERS to ensure proper billing and to keep your "Group" status (Group A or B) aligned with 2026 cost-shares.

### 5. Managing Prescriptions Before you put your household goods on the truck, ensure you have a 90-day supply of all maintenance medications. Once you arrive, you can transfer your prescriptions to a new retail pharmacy or update your address with **Express Scripts** for home delivery.

### 6. Overseas Moves (OCONUS) If moving overseas, you will transition to the TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP), managed by International SOS. Active duty family members must be command-sponsored to enroll in TRICARE Overseas Prime.

## Who this affects * **Active Duty Service Members:** Mandatory enrollment transfer required. * **Active Duty Family Members:** Must update DEERS and choose Prime or Select in the new location. * **Retirees:** Must ensure their region-specific enrollment remains active to avoid a lapse in coverage. * **TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) Members:** Must update DEERS to ensure local provider networks are correctly identified.

## Sources * TRICARE.mil: Moving with TRICARE (https://www.tricare.mil/moving) * Humana Military (East): (https://www.humanamilitary.com/) * TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West): (https://www.triwest.com/) * Defense Manpower Data Center (DEERS): (https://idco.dmdc.osd.mil/idco/)