What Is TRICARE Standard? (Updated for 2026) | TRICARE.com

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## Quick answer **TRICARE Standard is an obsolete health plan.** It was replaced on January 1, 2018, by **TRICARE Select**. If you are looking for the modern equivalent of the "Standard" plan—which offers the flexibility to see any authorized provider without a referral—you are now looking for TRICARE Select.

## Details Before 2018, TRICARE Standard was the program's original fee-for-service option. It allowed beneficiaries to manage their own healthcare without a primary care manager (PCM). While the name is still frequently used by long-time beneficiaries, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) consolidated TRICARE Standard and TRICARE Extra into a single plan: **TRICARE Select**.

### The Transition to TRICARE Select When TRICARE Standard became TRICARE Select, several key mechanics remained the same, but the fee structure changed: * **No Referrals:** Like the old Standard plan, Select does not require a referral for most specialty appointments. * **Provider Choice:** You can see any TRICARE-authorized provider. However, you pay less out-of-pocket if you use a "Network" provider. * **Space-A Care:** Beneficiaries on this plan can only receive care at Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) on a space-available basis.

### 2026 Costs and Groups Under the current system, your costs depend on when the sponsor joined the military. As of 2026, these are the general cost tiers for TRICARE Select:

* **Group A:** Sponsor enlisted or was appointed before January 1, 2018. * **Group B:** Sponsor enlisted or was appointed on or after January 1, 2018.

**2026 Enrollment Fees (Retirees):** Active duty family members typically pay no enrollment fees for Select. However, retirees in Group A must pay an annual enrollment fee (roughly $190–$200 for individuals or $380–$400 for families in 2026; check TRICARE.mil for the exact 2026 inflation-adjusted figures).

**Catastrophic Caps:** The catastrophic cap (the maximum you pay out-of-pocket per year) for Group A retirees is approximately $4,300+ for the 2026 plan year. Group B beneficiaries typically face higher deductibles but have a slightly different cap structure.

### Regional Management If you are currently on the plan that replaced Standard, your care is managed by: * **East Region:** Humana Military * **West Region:** TriWest Healthcare Alliance (Management shifted to TriWest on Jan 1, 2025).

## Who this affects While TRICARE "Standard" no longer exists, the transition to TRICARE Select affects: * **Active Duty Family Members (ADFMs):** Who prefer private doctors over military clinics. * **Retirees and their families:** Under age 65 who are not yet eligible for Medicare. * **National Guard and Reserve members:** Who utilize TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS), which functions similarly to the old Standard/Extra model. * **Survivors:** Eligible family members of deceased service members.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [TRICARE Select Overview](https://www.tricare.mil/select) * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** [Changes to TRICARE Plans](https://health.mil) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance:** [West Region Portal](https://www.triwest.com) * **Humana Military:** [East Region Portal](https://www.humanamilitary.com)