TRICARE Young Adult

Tricare "At A Glance" Infographic

TRICARE Young Adult is a plan that qualified adult children can purchase after eligibility for "regular" TRICARE coverage ends at age 21 (or 23 if enrolled in college, learn more).

If purchased, TRICARE Young Adult is minimum essential coverage under the Affordable Care Act. However, you may find more affordable options through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Eligibility

You may qualify to purchase TRICARE Young Adult if you are:

• An unmarried, adult child of an eligible sponsor. Eligible sponsors include:
  • Active duty service members
  • Retired service members
  • Activated Guard/Reserve members
  • Non-activated Guard/Reserve members using TRICARE Reserve Select
  • Retired Guard/Reserve members using TRICARE Retired Reserve
• At least age 21 but not yet 26 years old.
  • If you are enrolled in a full course of study at an approved institution of higher learning and your sponsor provides more than 50 percent of your financial support, your eligibility may not begin until age 23 or upon graduation, whichever comes first.
• Not eligible to enroll in an employer-sponsored health plan based on your own employment
• Not otherwise eligible for TRICARE coverage

Coverage

TRICARE Young Adult provides medical and pharmacy benefits, but dental coverage is excluded. >>View a list of Covered Services

Out-of-Pocket Costs

TRICARE Young Adult costs are based on three things:

• The option you select when you enroll: Prime or Standard
• Your sponsor's military status
• Where the care is received

To participate, you're required to pay monthly premiums, and then your plan option and sponsor's military status determine what you pay out of pocket for care. >>Learn More

Is TRICARE Young Adult Right for You?

TRICARE Young Adult is an option for unmarried, adult children who have "aged out" of regular TRICARE coverage.  The plan provides comprehensive medical and pharmacy benefits through two different health plan options. You should review all of your health plan options (military or commercial) before deciding if TRICARE Young Adult is the right plan for you.

Purchasing TRICARE Young Adult

Once you've decided that TRICARE Young Adult is the right option for you, you may purchase coverage at any time. To purchase TRICARE Young Adult:

• Download the TRICARE Young Adult Application.
• Mail or fax the completed form and initial two-month premium payment to your regional contractor (addresses and fax numbers are found on the form).
• Select which option you want to enroll in (Prime or Standard) on the form.
• Make checks or money orders for the initial premium payable to your regional contractor.

You may live in a different region than your sponsor. If you're not sure which region you live in, view the regions page to see which states are in each region. >>Learn More about Purchasing TRICARE Young Adult

The option you select when you enroll (Prime or Standard) determines how you get care and what you pay out-of-pocket.

• Learn More About the Prime Option
• Learn More About the Standard Option