TRICARE in Hawaii and Alaska: 2026 Guide | TRICARE.com

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## Quick answer Hawaii and Alaska are part of the **TRICARE West Region**, managed by TriWest Healthcare Alliance. Beneficiaries in these states have access to TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Select, and TRICARE For Life, though available provider networks can be more limited in remote Alaskan regions compared to the mainland.

Details

### The T-5 Transition and Regional Management As of 2026, both Hawaii and Alaska fall under the **West Region** contract. This region is managed by **TriWest Healthcare Alliance**, which took over full operations on January 1, 2025. If you are moving to or living in these states, your primary point of contact for authorizations, referrals, and finding a network provider is TriWest.

### TRICARE Prime vs. Select in HI and AK * **TRICARE Prime:** Hawaii (particularly Oahu) has a robust military medical infrastructure, including Tripler Army Medical Center. Alaska’s Prime options are centered around Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Anchorage and Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks. * **TRICARE Select:** This is often the preferred choice for families living in more remote parts of Alaska (like Juneau or the Kenai Peninsula) where military clinics are unavailable and the network of civilian Prime providers is thin. * **Prime Remote:** If you are Active Duty stationed in a remote part of Alaska or Hawaii (more than 50 miles or one hour from a military hospital), you may be eligible for TRICARE Prime Remote.

### Pharmacy and Specialty Care * **Pharmacy:** Express Scripts manages the pharmacy benefit in both states. In Hawaii, retail pharmacy access is high. In Alaska, many residents rely more heavily on the TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery (mail order) due to the geographical distance between towns. * **Travel Reimbursement:** Because Hawaii and Alaska have limited specialty care in specific rural areas, the **TRICARE Prime Travel Benefit** is critical. If you are on Prime and referred to a specialist more than 100 miles from your Primary Care Manager (PCM), you may be eligible for reimbursement of travel expenses.

### 2026 Cost Considerations Costs for 2026 depend on your "Group" (determined by when you or your sponsor joined the military). * **Group A (Joined before Jan 1, 2018):** Generally lower enrollment fees. * **Group B (Joined on/after Jan 1, 2018):** Higher enrollment fees and slightly different catastrophic caps. * **Active Duty:** Always $0 out-of-pocket for covered care. * **Retirees:** 2026 TRICARE Select enrollment fees vary by plan year; check TRICARE.mil for current rates.

## Who this affects * **Active Duty Service Members:** Stationed at bases like JBER, Fort Wainwright, Pearl Harbor-Hickam, or Kaneohe Bay. * **Active Duty Family Members (ADFMs):** Living on-base or in the local community. * **National Guard and Reserve:** Transitioning between TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) and active benefits. * **Retirees and their Families:** Living in HI/AK, including those using TRICARE For Life (TFL) alongside Medicare.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [West Region Information](https://www.tricare.mil/West) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance:** [Provider Directory and Portal](https://www.triwest.com/) * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** [TRICARE Plans Overview](https://health.mil/) * **Express Scripts:** [Pharmacy Benefits HI/AK](https://militaryrx.express-scripts.com/)