TRICARE Open Season 2026: dates, what changes for 2027 and how to enroll

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Quick answer: TRICARE Open Season runs Nov. 9 to Dec. 8, 2026. If you have or qualify for TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select, you can enroll, switch plans or switch between individual and family enrollment, and the change starts Jan. 1, 2027 (tricare.mil). Do nothing and your current plan continues. It doesn't apply to active duty service members. You make changes in milConnect, by phone or by mail.

Open season countdown

Key dates

Who it applies to

• Yes: TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Prime Remote, TRICARE Prime Overseas and Prime Remote Overseas, the US Family Health Plan, TRICARE Prime Demo (Atlanta and Tampa), TRICARE Select and Select Overseas.
• No: active duty service members, TRICARE For Life, TRICARE Reserve Select, TRICARE Retired Reserve, TRICARE Young Adult and CHCBP. You can buy the premium-based plans at any time.

What you can do

• Stay put: do nothing. You don't re-enroll; your plan continues as long as you're eligible.
• Enroll: if you're eligible for Prime or Select but not enrolled, enroll now. If you aren't in a plan and don't enroll, you can only get care at a military hospital or clinic when space is available.
• Switch: change between Prime and Select, or between individual and family enrollment.

To choose, TRICARE points to its Plan Finder, Compare Plans tool, health plan costs and Find a Doctor.

How to enroll or change plans

1. Online: milConnect.
2. By phone: your TRICARE regional contractor or designated provider.
3. By mail or fax: an enrollment form sent to your regional contractor. Forms and step-by-step instructions are on Enroll or Purchase a Plan.

DoD's notice also asks enrollees to keep their mailing address, email and other information current in DEERS, and to update payment information with their regional contractor to avoid coverage gaps.

What changes for 2027

From DoD's Notice of TRICARE Plan Program Changes for CY 2027 (Federal Register, Sept. 18, 2026):

• Pharmacy copays unchanged on Jan. 1, 2027 (table below).
• Urgent care: still unlimited visits without a referral for TRICARE Prime enrollees in 2027.
• Prime Service Areas: no changes for 2027.
• TRICARE Prime Remote families: no copays for covered drugs at retail network pharmacies (effective Feb. 28, 2026).
• Demonstrations: TRICARE Prime Demo continues in parts of metro Atlanta and Tampa; the doula and lactation demonstration (CBSD) is extended through Dec. 31, 2031; a pre-hospital blood transfusion payment demonstration starts Jan. 1, 2027.
• Newly covered: expanded ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, Optune tumor treating fields for newly diagnosed glioblastoma (age 22+), ablative fractional laser for symptomatic scars, stem cell transplant for multiple sclerosis when criteria are met, SLAH for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, liver transplant for certain metastatic colorectal cancer, and peripheral nerve stimulation for chronic pain; vertebral body tethering under provisional coverage.
• No longer covered: TENS devices and supplies, except for acute post-operative pain (effective July 1, 2026).
• Not posted yet (unverified): 2027 enrollment fees, premiums, deductibles and catastrophic caps, which follow the retiree COLA; and 2027 premiums for TRICARE Reserve Select, Retired Reserve, Young Adult and CHCBP. DoD says they'll be posted on tricare.mil/changes. As of Oct. 17, 2026 that page doesn't show them.

2027 TRICARE pharmacy copays (unchanged)

Active duty service members, and active duty family members in TRICARE Prime Remote, pay $0 for covered drugs. For everyone except active duty members, select brand-name maintenance drugs can only be filled twice at retail before moving to home delivery or a military pharmacy.

Missed it? Qualifying Life Events

Outside open season you can only enroll in or switch to Prime or Select after a Qualifying Life Event (QLE), such as marriage, the birth of a child or retiring from active duty. A QLE opens a 90-day window, and a QLE for one family member lets every eligible family member make changes. Update DEERS first. Retiring from active duty? You must make an enrollment decision within 90 days of retirement or you lose TRICARE coverage (space-available care at military facilities only).

Separating instead of retiring? See TRICARE after separation (TAMP, CHCBP, TRS).

FAQ

When is TRICARE Open Season 2026?

Nov. 9 through Dec. 8, 2026. Changes you make take effect Jan. 1, 2027. TRICARE says open season runs from the Monday of the second full week in November through the Tuesday of the second full week in December.

Who can make changes during TRICARE Open Season?

People who have or qualify for TRICARE Prime options (including the US Family Health Plan and TRICARE Prime Demo) or TRICARE Select. It doesn't apply to active duty service members, TRICARE For Life, TRICARE Reserve Select, TRICARE Retired Reserve, TRICARE Young Adult or CHCBP.

Do I have to re-enroll in TRICARE every year?

No. If you don't make a change, your current plan continues in 2027 as long as you're still eligible.

When is FEDVIP dental and vision open season for military families?

OPM and tricare.mil list the Federal Benefits Open Season as Nov. 9 to Dec. 14, 2026, but DoD's Sept. 18, 2026 Federal Register notice gives Dec. 7, 2026 as the FEDVIP end date for military beneficiaries. Until that's cleared up, make dental and vision changes by Dec. 7 to be safe.

Are TRICARE pharmacy copays going up in 2027?

No. DoD's notice says TRICARE pharmacy copayments are unchanged for Jan. 1, 2027: $16 for a 30-day generic and $48 for a 30-day brand-name drug at a retail network pharmacy, and $14 and $44 for a 90-day supply by mail order.

What if I miss TRICARE Open Season?

You can only enroll in or change to TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select after a Qualifying Life Event, such as marriage, the birth of a child or retiring from active duty. A QLE opens a 90-day window to make changes.

Related: TRICARE after separation · PACT Act deadlines and key dates · Leaving-the-service timeline · SGLI and VGLI premium rates · Military pay dates 2026/2027 · Top 10 most-missed veteran benefits · All vet benefit guides