TRICARE Open Season: Enrollment Rules & Dates | TRICARE.com

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## Definition TRICARE Open Season is the annual period—typically from mid-November to mid-December—when eligible beneficiaries can enroll in a new health plan or change their existing plan for the following year.

## What it means in practice If you are already enrolled in a TRICARE plan and are satisfied with your coverage, you do not need to take any action during Open Season. Your current coverage will automatically continue as long as you remain eligible. However, if you want to switch from **TRICARE Prime** to **TRICARE Select**, or vice versa, this is the only time of year you can do so without experiencing a Qualifying Life Event (QLE).

Open Season applies to all beneficiaries using TRICARE Prime (including the US Family Health Plan) or TRICARE Select. It does **not** apply to "premium-based" plans such as TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS), TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR), TRICARE Young Adult (TYA), or TRICARE For Life (TFL). These plans allow for enrollment changes at any time throughout the year.

Decisions made during the 2026 Open Season will take effect on January 1, 2027. If you miss the window and do not have a QLE (like a marriage, birth of a child, or permanent change of station), you are locked into your current plan until the next year. This is also the period to enroll in the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) if you are eligible, though that program is managed by OPM, not the Defense Health Agency.

While there is no "fee" to change plans during Open Season, your out-of-pocket costs will change based on your 2026 plan choice. For example, a Group A retiree switching from Prime to Select would move from an annual enrollment fee to no enrollment fee, but would face higher cost-shares and a deductible. Always verify the current 2026 catastrophic caps and enrollment fees with **Humana Military** (East) or **TriWest Healthcare Alliance** (West) before switching.

## Related terms * **Qualifying Life Event (QLE):** A specific life change, such as marriage or moving, that opens a 90-day window to change TRICARE plans outside of Open Season. * **TRICARE Prime:** A managed care option similar to an HMO, typically requiring a Primary Care Manager and referrals for specialty care. * **TRICARE Select:** A self-managed, preferred provider organization (PPO) style plan that offers more flexibility in choosing doctors but usually has higher out-of-pocket costs. * **FEDVIP:** The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program, which also holds its enrollment season concurrently with TRICARE Open Season. * **Enrollment Freeze:** A period occurring just after Open Season where systems are updated and plan changes are processed for the new year.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [Open Season Overview](https://www.tricare.mil/openseason) * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** [Enrollment Periods](https://health.mil) * **BENEFEDS:** [FEDVIP Enrollment](https://www.benefeds.com)