Military retirees and eligible beneficiaries who use Tricare will soon be able to enroll in or make changes to their health care coverage. 

Tricare open season begins Nov. 8 and ends Dec. 13. During that time, beneficiaries who use Tricare Prime or Tricare Select can choose to stay on their plan, enroll in a plan or change plans. Any changes will go into effect on Jan. 1. 

This will be the second year Group A retirees, whose initial enlistment or appointment occurred before Jan. 1, 2018, and their beneficiaries must pay monthly enrollment fees for Tricare Select coverage. Mandated in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, 2020 was the first time this group of beneficiaries were charged such fees.

Affected beneficiaries can pay via a monthly allotment through their DoD pay center or via electronic funds transfer, credit card or debit card. 

As it was last year, individual enrollment fees are $12.50 a month or $150 a year. Retirees on a family plan pay $25 a month or $300 a year. Enrollment fees are waived for active-duty family members, survivors or medically retired retirees or family members, according to Tricare.

Those who are not already in a plan and don’t enroll during open season could still receive care, but they will “only be eligible for care at a military hospital or clinic if space is available,” according to the Tricare website. Outside of Tricare open season, beneficiaries can enroll or change their enrollment following certain life events, including marriage, the birth of a child or retirement from active duty.

Eligible beneficiaries also have until Dec. 13 to enroll in or make changes to their vision and/or dental coverage through the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program. The program offers a range of plans at varying costs, and coverage is not automatic, so beneficiaries must act to enroll in a dental or vision plan.

For more information on Tricare open season, click here. 

For more on the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program, click here.