TRICARE New Baby Guide: DEERS & Enrollment Steps | TRICARE.com

Adding a new baby to your family is a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). This means you have a limited window to enroll your child in a TRICARE plan outside of the annual Open Season. If you miss the deadline, your child may only be covered for care at a Military Home Treatment Facility (MTF) on a space-available basis, or not covered at all.

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## What changes A new baby (via birth or adoption) triggers a 90-day window (120 days if overseas) to register the child in DEERS and select a TRICARE plan. During the initial period, newborns are covered as "TRICARE Prime" or "TRICARE Select" automatically for a short time, but this coverage becomes permanent only if you take administrative action. If you fail to enroll them, your child will lose coverage after the 90-day grace period.

## What to do — checklist 1. **Obtain a Birth Certificate:** Requested from the hospital or local vital statistics office immediately. You do not need the Social Security card to start DEERS registration, but you will need the birth certificate or a certificate of live birth. 2. **Register in DEERS (Within 90 days):** Visit a RAPIDS ID card office or use [milConnect](https://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil/). This is the most critical step; without DEERS registration, the child does not exist in the TRICARE system. 3. **Choose a Plan (Within 90 days):** Once in DEERS, log in to the BENE beneficiary portal or call your regional contractor (Humana Military in the East; TriWest in the West) to enroll the child in TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select. 4. **Update Your Own Plan (Optional):** This QLE allows you (the parent) to switch between Prime and Select if your family's needs have changed. 5. **Submit Social Security Number:** Once the SSN card arrives in the mail, return to a RAPIDS office or update the record via milConnect to finalize the DEERS entry. 6. **Find a Pediatrician:** Ensure your chosen doctor is "in-network" for your regional contractor (Humana Military or TriWest) to avoid higher out-of-network costs.

## Timeline | Timeframe | Action Required | | :--- | :--- | | **Day 0–30** | Newborn is covered as a "placeholder" beneficiary. Use this time to get the birth certificate. | | **Day 30–90** | **Critical Window:** Register the child in DEERS. Select and enroll in a specific TRICARE plan (Prime or Select). | | **Day 90** | Deadline for stateside families. If not enrolled, coverage is terminated back to the date of birth. | | **Day 120** | Deadline for overseas families (International SOS) to complete enrollment. |

## Common pitfalls * **Assuming DEERS is "Automatic":** Many families think the hospital registers the baby. They do not. You must physically or digitally take action with a RAPIDS office. * **Waiting for the Social Security Card:** You can register a newborn in DEERS with just the birth certificate. Waiting for the SSN can cause you to miss the 90-day TRICARE enrollment window. * **Forgetting to Enroll in a Plan:** Registering in DEERS is only step one. You must *also* specifically choose a plan (e.g., TRICARE Prime) with Humana Military or TriWest. If you don't, the child may default to TRICARE Select, which often has higher out-of-pocket costs. * **The "Space-Available" Trap:** If you miss the window, your child is restricted to Military Hospitals on a space-available basis. In many regions, space is non-existent, meaning you will pay 100% of civilian pediatric costs out of pocket until the next Open Season.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [Giving Birth or Adopting](https://www.tricare.mil/LifeEvents/Baby) * **Humana Military (East):** [Enrollment Transitions](https://www.humanamilitary.com) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West):** [Newborn Coverage](https://www.triwest.com) * **DEERS/milConnect:** [Beneficiary Web Enrollment](https://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil/milconnect/)