What Is TRICARE Young Adult? 2026 Costs & Eligibility | TRICARE.com

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## Quick answer TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) is a premium-based health plan for adult children of military sponsors who have "off-ramped" from regular TRICARE coverage at age 21 (or 23 if a full-time student). It allows eligible young adults to remain covered under the military health system until they reach age 26, provided they are unmarried and not eligible for their own employer-sponsored health insurance.

## Details TRICARE Young Adult acts as a bridge between childhood dependency and full adult independence. Unlike standard TRICARE coverage for children, TYA is **not free**. It requires a monthly premium because it is an individual purchase plan.

### Coverage Options When you enroll in TYA, you must choose between two plan types: * **TYA Prime:** Works like TRICARE Prime. You have a Primary Care Manager (PCM), require referrals for specialty care, and generally have lower out-of-pocket costs at the point of service. You must live in a Prime Service Area (PSA) to qualify. * **TYA Select:** Works like TRICARE Select. You have the freedom to see any TRICARE-authorized provider without a referral, but you will pay a deductible and cost-shares (copayments) for most services.

### 2026 Costs and Premiums Because TYA is a premium-based program, the costs are adjusted annually by the Defense Health Agency (DHA). For the 2026 plan year, current rates are: * **TYA Prime Monthly Premium:** $658 per month (2026 rate). * **TYA Select Monthly Premium:** $321 per month (2026 rate).

*Note: In addition to premiums, you are responsible for deductibles and copayments based on your sponsor's status (Active Duty vs. Retired) and the plan type chosen.*

### Eligibility Requirements To qualify for TYA, the young adult must meet all of the following criteria: 1. Be at least 21 years old (or 23 if a full-time student) but not yet 26. 2. Be the unmarried child of an eligible TRICARE sponsor. 3. **Not** be eligible for an employer-sponsored health insurance plan (even if they choose not to enroll in it). 4. **Not** be eligible for any other TRICARE program in their own right (e.g., as an active-duty member).

### Enrollment and Disenrollment Coverage is managed by regional contractors: **Humana Military** in the East Region and **TriWest Healthcare Alliance** in the West Region. If you fail to pay your premiums, you will be disenrolled and may face a 12-month lockout period during which you cannot re-enroll.

## Who this affects * **Active Duty Families:** Children of service members who graduated college or turned 21 and need continued coverage. * **Retiree Families:** Adult children of retired service members up to age 26. * **National Guard and Reserve:** Children of members of the Selected Reserve or Individual Ready Reserve (if the sponsor is covered under TRICARE Reserve Select). * **Survivors:** Unmarried children of deceased service members who meet the age requirements.

## Sources 1. **TRICARE.mil:** TRICARE Young Adult Overview - https://www.tricare.mil/TYA 2. **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** 2026 Premium Rates - https://www.health.mil 3. **TriWest Healthcare Alliance:** West Region TYA Information - https://www.triwest.com 4. **Humana Military:** East Region Enrollment - https://www.humanamilitary.com