TRICARE Retired Reserve Eligibility & 2026 Costs | TRICARE.com

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## Quick answer TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR) is a premium-based health plan for qualified members of the Retired Reserve who are under age 60 and not eligible for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program. It allows "Gray Area" retirees to purchase TRICARE coverage for themselves and their families before transitioning to TRICARE For Life at age 60.

Details

TRICARE Retired Reserve is specifically designed for "Gray Area" retirees—National Guard and Reserve members who have completed 20 years of qualifying service and have retired, but are not yet 60 years old and therefore not yet eligible for regular retired pay or TRICARE Select/Prime.

### Eligibility Requirements To qualify for TRR, you must meet three specific criteria: 1. **Retired Reserve Status:** You must be a member of the Retired Reserve of a Reserve Component who is qualified for non-regular retirement (received your "20-year letter"). 2. **Age:** You must be under age 60. 3. **FEHB Exclusion:** You must not be eligible for or enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program.

### Coverage & Costs (2026 Rates) Unlike standard retiree TRICARE, TRR requires the payment of full-cost monthly premiums because it is not subsidized by the government.

* **2026 Monthly Premiums:** (Varies by plan year — check TRICARE.mil for current exact rates). * *Note: For historical context, 2024 monthly rates were $585.24 for an individual and $1,406.22 for a family. Expect 2026 rates to be slightly higher based on annual adjustments.* * **Deductibles:** You must meet an annual outpatient deductible before TRICARE cost-sharing begins. * **Pharmacy:** Includes the comprehensive TRICARE pharmacy benefit managed by Express Scripts.

### The "Gray Area" Transition Once you reach age 60 and begin receiving retired pay, you and your family become eligible for standard TRICARE retiree benefits (TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select). At this point, your TRR coverage ends, and you must take action to enroll in a standard retiree plan to avoid a gap in coverage.

### Regional Contractors While the plan is a national benefit, it is administered regionally: * **East Region:** Managed by Humana Military. * **West Region:** Managed by TriWest Healthcare Alliance (as of the T-5 contract transition on Jan 1, 2025).

## Who this affects * **Retired Reserve Members:** Those with a 20-year letter who have not yet reached age 60. * **Family Members:** Spouses and unmarried children (up to age 21, or 23 if a full-time student) of qualified Retired Reserve members. * **Survivors:** If the sponsor was covered by TRR at the time of death, survivors may continue coverage until the date the sponsor would have turned 60.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** TRICARE Retired Reserve Overview (https://www.tricare.mil/trr) * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** TRICARE Costs and Fees (https://www.tricare.mil/costs) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance:** West Region Portal (https://www.triwest.com) * **Humana Military:** East Region Portal (https://www.humanamilitary.com)