TRICARE Regions: East vs. West Coverage Guide (2026) | TRICARE.com

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## Quick answer TRICARE divides the United States into two geographic regions: **East** and **West**. Each region is managed by a private contractor that oversees the provider network, processes claims, and handles customer service for beneficiaries in those states.

Details

Effective January 1, 2025, TRICARE transitioned to the **T5 (fifth generation) contract**, which finalized the current regional structure and contractor assignments. Knowing your region is critical because it determines which contractor's portal you use to schedule appointments, check referrals, and pay premiums.

### TRICARE East Region The East Region covers 28 states and the District of Columbia. It is managed by **Humana Military**. * **States included:** Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa (Rock Island area), Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri (St. Louis area), New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

### TRICARE West Region The West Region covers 21 states and is managed by **TriWest Healthcare Alliance**. TriWest took over as the sole West contractor on January 1, 2025, replacing Health Net Federal Services (HNFS). * **States included:** Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa (excluding Rock Island area), Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri (excluding St. Louis area), Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

### TRICARE Overseas If you are stationed or living outside of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, you fall under the **TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP)**. * **Contractor:** International SOS Government Services, Inc. * **Structure:** Divided into three areas: Eurasia-Africa, Latin America and Canada, and Pacific.

### Moving Between Regions If you move from an East Region state to a West Region state (or vice versa), you must update your address in the **Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS)** immediately. You may also need to transfer your enrollment to the new regional contractor to ensure there is no gap in coverage or issues with specialty care referrals.

### Regional Enrollment Fees (2026 Rates) While the regions manage the networks, most enrollment fees are standardized by TRICARE "Group" status (Group A or Group B) rather than geography. For 2026: * **TRICARE Prime (Retirees):** Varies by Group status — check TRICARE.mil for current 2026 figures. * **TRICARE Select (Retirees):** Enrollment fees typically apply to Group A retirees for 2026; contact Humana Military (East) or TriWest (West) for specific regional billing setups.

## Who this affects Your region impacts almost every TRICARE beneficiary, including: * **Active Duty Service Members (ADSMs)** and their families. * **Retirees** and their family members. * **National Guard and Reserve** members (on active duty or using TRICARE Reserve Select). * **Survivors** and Medal of Honor recipients.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [Regions Page](https://www.tricare.mil/About/Regions) * **Humana Military (East):** [Official East Contractor Site](https://www.humanamilitary.com/) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West):** [Official West Contractor Site](https://www.triwest.com/en/beneficiary/) * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** [T5 Contract Information](https://health.mil/)