TRICARE Payment Methods: 2026 Guide to Paying Fees | TRICARE.com

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

## Quick answer You can pay TRICARE premiums and enrollment fees via automatic monthly payments using a credit/debit card or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). Active duty service members and retirees can also opt for a direct military allotment to have fees deducted from their pay before it hits their bank account.

Details

TRICARE payment methods vary slightly depending on whether you are paying for monthly premiums (like TRICARE Reserve Select) or annual enrollment fees (like TRICARE Select for Group A retirees). As of 2026, all regional contractors require automated payments for recurring fees to avoid coverage lapses.

### Automatic Payment Options To maintain continuous coverage, most beneficiaries must set up an automated payment method with their specific regional contractor (Humana Military in the East or TriWest Healthcare Alliance in the West).

* **Military Allotment:** This is the preferred method for retirees and active duty families. Payments are taken directly from retired pay or active duty salary. This is the most "set it and forget it" option. * **Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT):** You provide your bank's routing and account number. The contractor withdraws the 2026 premium amount directly from your checking or savings account on a fixed date each month. * **Recurring Credit or Debit Card:** You can use a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover. Note that if your card expires or the CVV changes, your coverage may be suspended if you do not update the information promptly.

### One-Time Payments While monthly fees must be automated, you may need to make a one-time payment for an initial enrollment fee or a missed payment. * **Online Portals:** Both Humana Military (East) and TriWest (West) offer secure member portals for one-time payments. * **Phone:** You can pay via the contractor’s automated IVR phone system. * **Check/Money Order:** Generally only accepted for the initial payment when first enrolling in a plan; however, this is discouraged in favor of digital methods.

### Pharmacy and Point-of-Service Costs * **TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery:** Managed by Express Scripts. You must keep a credit card on file in your Express Scripts account for 2026 copayments. * **Doctor’s Office (Copays):** These are paid directly to the provider at the time of service using cash, check, or credit card. They are not billed through TRICARE's contractors.

### Late Payments and Reinstatements If an automated payment fails (e.g., an expired credit card), you typically have a 30-day grace period. If you do not pay within that window, your coverage will be terminated. To reinstate coverage, you must pay all back-premiums and, in some cases, wait for an open enrollment period.

## Who this affects * **Retirees and their families** (TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select enrollment fees). * **National Guard and Reserve members** (TRICARE Reserve Select premiums). * **Retired Reserve members** (TRICARE Retired Reserve premiums). * **Young Adults** (TRICARE Young Adult premiums). * **Survivors** (Enrollment fees and premiums where applicable).

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [Paying Premiums and Enrollment Fees](https://www.tricare.mil/Costs/PayFees) * **Humana Military (East):** [Payment Options](https://www.humanamilitary.com/beneficiary/plans-and-programs/premiums-payments) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West):** [Beneficiary Self-Service](https://www.triwest.com/en/beneficiary/enrollment-and-billing/) * **Express Scripts:** [Pharmacy Billing](https://militaryrx.express-scripts.com/billing)