TRICARE Prime/TRICARE Prime Remote Enrollment – Active Duty Service Members and Active Duty Family Members
There is an enrollment freeze Oct. 25-27, 2024, and a scheduled Beneficiary Web Enrollment outage Oct. 28-Dec. 31 (learn more). During the BWE outage, you can only make updates online in milConnect if you aren’t currently enrolled in a TRICARE health plan.
Overview
TRICARE Prime is a managed care option similar to a civilian health maintenance organization (HMO). It is available in areas around military hospitals and clinics. TRICARE Prime Remote (TPR) is available for active duty service members who live and work more than 50 miles from a military hospital or clinic and their eligible family members.
Eligibility
Those eligible for TRICARE Prime include:
- Active duty service members (ADSMs) – required to enroll in TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Prime Remote
- Family members and survivors of ADSMs
- National Guard and Reserve members called to active duty for more than 30 consecutive days, and their families
In addition, beneficiaries must be registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) and choose a primary care manager (PCM) where TRICARE Prime is offered. Visit our PCM page to learn more.
Enrolling in TRICARE Prime/TRICARE Prime Remote
You may enroll by:
Note: ADSMs must have their orders or unit identification code (UIC) available when enrolling to ensure assignments to local military hospitals or clinics are accurate.
Beneficiaries who remain eligible will be automatically re-enrolled each year unless they elect a different option or disenroll during the open enrollment season.
Changes in enrollment can only be made during TRICARE's Open Season or within 90 days of a qualifying life event (see below).
Effective Dates
New active duty family member (ADFM) enrollment into a TRICARE plan is automatic, once registered in DEERS. In most circumstances, ADFMs who reside in a Prime Service Area (PSA) are automatically enrolled in TRICARE Prime, with an effective date based on their eligibility date in DEERS. The ADFM will have 90 days to determine if he/she wants to stay enrolled in Prime or switch enrollment to TRICARE Select.
Important! Use the self-service tools on this website or milConnect to confirm your family member's TRICARE plan enrollment.
When enrolling during the TRICARE Open Season, TRICARE Prime enrollment is effective January 1 of the following year. Enrollment due to a qualifying life event (QLE), such as adding a newborn, will be effective the date of the QLE event.
Fees
Active duty service members and ADFMs do not have an enrollment fee for TRICARE Prime, TPR or TPRADFM.
Qualifying Life Events (QLEs)
Visit our Qualifying Life Events page for to learn how a change in your or a family member's life may affect your TRICARE enrollment options.
Disenrolling from TRICARE Prime/TRICARE Prime Remote
You may voluntarily disenroll from TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Prime Remote. However, eligible beneficiaries not enrolled in a TRICARE plan are only covered for care at the military hospital or clinic under direct care if space is available. Beneficiaries can only re-enroll during open enrollment and/or in the event of a QLE.
You may disenroll by:
If voluntarily disenrolling, you can request a specific disenrollment date.
