What Is TRICARE Prime Remote? Eligibility & 2026 Costs | TRICARE.com

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## Quick answer TRICARE Prime Remote (TPR) is a managed care option for active duty service members and their families who live and work in designated remote locations, typically more than 50 miles or one hour's drive from a military hospital or clinic. It provides the same comprehensive coverage as standard TRICARE Prime but allows you to receive care from local civilian providers without paying out-of-pocket costs.

Details

TRICARE Prime Remote is designed to ensure that service members stationed in rural or isolated areas of the United States have the same "priority" access to healthcare as those living near a major military installation.

### Eligibility Criteria To enroll in TPR, your home and work addresses must both be in a "remote" ZIP code. Generally, this means you are located at least 50 miles or approximately one hour of driving time from the nearest Military Treatment Facility (MTF).

### How Care Works Unlike standard TRICARE Prime, where you are usually assigned a military doctor, TPR members are assigned a civilian **Primary Care Manager (PCM)**. * **Referrals:** You still need a referral from your PCM for specialty care. * **Network:** You should use TRICARE network providers to avoid paperwork, though the regional contractors (Humana Military in the East and TriWest in the West) assist in finding providers in areas where networks are thin.

### Costs and Fees (2026 Rates) TPR is a "zero-cost" plan for those eligible: * **Enrollment Fees:** $0 for active duty and their families. * **Deductibles:** $0 for covered services. * **Copayments:** $0 for authorized care from network providers. * **Point-of-Service (POS):** If you see a specialist without a referral, you will be charged POS fees, which include a $300 deductible and 50% cost-sharing.

### Regional Contractors Management of the TPR network depends on where you are stationed: * **East Region:** Humana Military. * **West Region:** TriWest Healthcare Alliance.

## Who this affects * **Active Duty Service Members (ADSMs):** Mandatory enrollment if stationed in a remote location. * **Active Duty Family Members (ADFMs):** Eligible to enroll if they reside with the ADSM in a remote location. * **Activated National Guard/Reserve:** Eligible if on federal active duty orders for more than 30 consecutive days and living in a remote area. * **Note:** Retirees and their families are **not** eligible for TRICARE Prime Remote; they typically use TRICARE Select or standard TRICARE Prime in Prime Service Areas.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [TRICARE Prime Remote Overview](https://www.tricare.mil/Plans/HealthPlans/TPR) * **Humana Military (East):** [Provider Search and Region Info](https://www.humanamilitary.com/) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West):** [West Region Benefits](https://www.triwest.com/) * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** [T-5 Contract Updates](https://health.mil/)