TRICARE Young Adult Guide: 2026 Costs & Eligibility | TRICARE.com

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## Quick answer TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) is a premium-based health plan for adult children who have "aged out" of regular TRICARE coverage at age 21 (or 23 if a full-time student). It allows unmarried children to remain covered under their parents’ military benefits until age 26, provided they are not eligible for their own employer-sponsored health insurance.

## In detail Once a dependent child reaches age 21 (or 23 if enrolled in college), their eligibility for standard TRICARE coverage ends. TRICARE Young Adult was created to fill the gap until these young adults reach age 26. Unlike standard TRICARE plans, TYA requires a monthly premium payment.

### Plan Options There are two primary ways to receive TYA coverage, which mirror the standard TRICARE programs:

* **TYA Prime:** Functions like an HMO. You have a primary care manager (PCM) who coordinates your care and provides referrals for specialists. This plan is generally available in "Prime Service Areas." * **TYA Select:** Functions like a PPO. You can see any TRICARE-authorized provider without a referral, though you will pay lower out-of-pocket costs if you use an in-network provider.

### 2026 Costs and Premiums Because TYA is not subsidized by the government in the same way as active-duty care, the premiums are calculated annually to cover the full cost of the program.

* **TYA Prime Monthly Premium (2026):** $637 per month (varies by plan year — check TRICARE.mil for current rates). * **TYA Select Monthly Premium (2026):** $311 per month (varies by plan year — check TRICARE.mil for current rates).

In addition to premiums, TYA Select members are subject to annual deductibles and cost-shares based on the sponsor's status (Active Duty vs. Retiree) and the sponsor's initial enlistment date (Group A vs. Group B).

### Regional Management The administration of your TYA plan depends on your location: * **East Region:** Managed by **Humana Military**. * **West Region:** Managed by **TriWest Healthcare Alliance** (as of Jan 1, 2025). * **Pharmacy:** Managed by **Express Scripts**.

### Eligibility Requirements To qualify for TYA, the young adult must meet all of the following: * An unmarried child of an eligible TRICARE sponsor. * At least age 21 (or 23 if a full-time student), but under age 26. * Not eligible to enroll in an employer-sponsored health plan under their own employment. * Not otherwise eligible for TRICARE.

## Who this applies to * **Dependents of Active Duty Service Members:** Allows children to stay covered while finishing school or starting a first job that doesn't offer benefits. * **Dependents of Retirees:** Applies to children of retired service members, though cost-shares for services are typically higher than those for active-duty families. * **Full-time Students over 23:** Once a student hits 23, they lose regular TRICARE and must switch to TYA to remain insured through their parent. * **Non-Students over 21:** Children who enter the workforce but do not have access to a company health plan.

Common scenarios

### Scenario 1: The Recent College Grad Sarah is 23 and just graduated from college. Her regular TRICARE coverage ended on her 23rd birthday. She is working a part-time internship that does not offer health insurance. She enrolls in **TYA Select** for 2026. She pays **$311 per month** in premiums. Because her father is a retired Petty Officer (Group A), she pays a small co-pay when she visits an in-network doctor, but she has the freedom to choose her own physician.

### Scenario 2: The Prime Service Area Resident Marcus is 22 and lives in a Prime Service Area near a military installation. He wants the lowest out-of-pocket costs for doctor visits and doesn't mind needing referrals. He enrolls in **TYA Prime** for 2026. He pays **$637 per month**. While his monthly premium is higher than TYA Select, he generally has $0 or very low co-pays for most clinical services at the military clinic.

## Related terms * **Age-out:** The point (age 21 or 23) when a child is no longer eligible for regular TRICARE and must switch to TYA or another plan. * **Sponsor:** The active-duty or retired service member through whom the young adult gains eligibility. * **Qualifying Life Event (QLE):** Aging out of regular TRICARE is a QLE, allowing the young adult to enroll in TYA outside of the annual Open Season. * **Premium:** The monthly bill paid to the regional contractor (Humana or TriWest) to keep the TYA policy active. * **DEERS:** The Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System; the database that must be updated to show the young adult's status for TYA.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil - TYA Overview:** [https://www.tricare.mil/tya](https://www.tricare.mil/tya) * **Humana Military (East Contractor):** [https://www.humanamilitary.com/](https://www.humanamilitary.com/) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West Contractor):** [https://www.triwest.com/](https://www.triwest.com/) * **TRICARE Newsroom - TYA Costs:** [https://newsroom.tricare.mil/](https://newsroom.tricare.mil/)