TRICARE Annual Enrollment Fee: Definition & 2026 Rates | TRICARE.com

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## Definition The TRICARE annual enrollment fee is a fixed yearly cost that certain retirees and their family members must pay to remain covered under TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select plans.

## What it means in practice For most TRICARE beneficiaries, the annual enrollment fee functions like a monthly or yearly "membership" premium. While active duty service members (ADSMs) and their families never pay enrollment fees, retirees and their beneficiaries usually do. These fees are tiered based on when the sponsor entered the military, categorized as Group A (joined before Jan. 1, 2018) or Group B (joined on or after Jan. 1, 2018).

In 2026, the specific amount you pay depends on your plan and beneficiary category. For example, a retiree in Group A using TRICARE Prime pays a set annual fee (e.g., approximately $392 for an individual or $784 for a family in 2026 rates), which is typically deducted monthly from their retirement pay. If you are a retiree using TRICARE Select, you also face an annual enrollment fee, though it is generally lower than the Prime fee.

Failure to pay these fees can result in a loss of coverage. If your allotment stops—perhaps due to a change in bank accounts or a lapse in retirement pay—you have a 90-day grace period to catch up on payments before your coverage is terminated. If terminated, you generally cannot re-enroll until the next Open Season or until you experience a Qualifying Life Event (QLE).

It is important to note that these fees are separate from "point-of-service" costs like copayments or deductibles. Even if you don't visit a doctor once during the year, the enrollment fee must be paid to keep the insurance active. Beneficiaries in the West Region pay these fees to **TriWest Healthcare Alliance**, while those in the East Region pay **Humana Military**.

## Related terms * **Catastrophic Cap:** The maximum out-of-pocket amount a beneficiary pays each calendar year for covered TRICARE services. * **Qualifying Life Event (QLE):** A specific change in your life, such as marriage or retirement, that allows you to change your TRICARE enrollment outside of Open Season. * **Group A vs. Group B:** Categories that determine your costs based on whether the sponsor’s initial enlistment or appointment was before or after January 1, 2018. * **Open Season:** The annual period (typically late fall) when beneficiaries can enroll in or change their TRICARE health plan for the following year. * **Allotment:** A recurring, automatic deduction from military retirement pay used to pay TRICARE enrollment fees.

## Sources * TRICARE.mil: Costs and Fees (https://www.tricare.mil/costs) * Humana Military: East Region Payments (https://www.humanamilitary.com/beneficiary/plans-and-programs/premiums-payments) * TriWest Healthcare Alliance: West Region Enrollment (https://www.triwest.com/en/beneficiary/enrollment/)