TRICARE Young Adult

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). TYA is an option for unmarried adult children who have “aged out” of regular TRICARE coverage.

TYA provides comprehensive medical and pharmacy benefits. How you get your care will depend on the option you choose: TYA-Prime or TYA-Select.

You should review all of your health plan options (military or commercial) before deciding if TYA is the right plan for you.

Note: You aren’t eligible for TYA if you’re eligible for employer-sponsored health plan.

Who Can Participate

You may qualify to purchase TRICARE Young Adult if you’re:

  • An unmarried, adult child of an eligible sponsorEligible sponsors for TRICARE Young Adult includes: 
    • Active duty service members
    • Retired service members
    • Activated Guard and Reserve members
    • Non-activated Guard and Reserve members using TRICARE Reserve Select
    • Retired Guard and Reserve members using TRICARE Retired Reserve
    • Unremarried former spouses registered in DEERS under their own Social Security number
  • At least age 21 but not yet 26 years old
    • If enrolled in a full course of study at an approved institution of higher learning and your sponsor provides more than 50% 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

Note: You can enroll in TYA without a valid Uniformed Services ID card. When your coverage begins and you’re notified by your regional contractor, visit any ID card office to get a new ID card. You should show your ID card when you go to the doctor. 

My sponsor isn’t eligible for TRICARE anymore. Can I still buy TRICARE Young Adult coverage?

TYA Options

Plan How To Get Care Who Can Participate What You Pay
TRICARE Young Adult-Prime

TYA-Prime works the same as TRICARE Prime. You’ll have an assigned primary care manager who provides most of your care. Your PCM:

  • May be a military or civilian network provider
  • Refers you to specialists for care your PCM can’t provide
  • Works with your regional contractor for authorization and to find specialist in the networks
  • Files claims for you
Learn more about how to get care with TRICARE Prime.
  • Children of active duty sponsors in all U.S. locations
  • Children in all overseas areas, if command-sponsored
  • Children of retired sponsors only in Prime Service AreasGeographic areas in the U.S. where we offer TRICARE Prime. They ensure medical readiness of active duty by adding to the capability and capacity of military hospitals and clinics. Prime Service Areas were also built around the Base Realignment and Closure sites.

If you live in an area where the US Family Health Plan is offered, you can choose USFHP for your Prime Option

Note: You can’t choose the Prime Option if your sponsor is using TRICARE Reserve Select or TRICARE Retired Reserve.

To participate, you’ll pay:

  • Monthly premiums
  • TRICARE Prime copayments

Any care you receive without a PCM referral is subject to point-of-service fees.

Learn more about TYA-Prime costs.
TRICARE Young Adult-Select TYA-Select works just like TRICARE Select:
  • Visit any TRICARE-authorized providerAn authorized provider is any individual, institution/organization, or supplier that is licensed by a state, accredited by national organization, or meets other standards of the medical community, and is certified to provide benefits under TRICARE. There are two types of TRICARE-authorized providers: Network and Non-Network. DS.
  • If you see a network provider, you’ll pay less out of pocket. The provider will file claims for you.
  • You don’t need a referral for any type of care, but some services may require pre-authorization.

Learn more about how to get care with TRICARE Select.

 All dependent adult children who qualify for TYA can use the Select Option. To participate, you’ll pay:
  • Monthly premiums
  • Annual deductible
  • Cost-shares
Costs vary depending on the sponsor’s military status. Learn more about TYA-Select costs.
US Family Health Plan

USFHP is an additional TRICARE Prime option available through networks of community-based, not-for-profit health care systems in six areas of the U.S.

  • You’ll get all care (including prescription drug coverage) from a primary care provider that you choose from the network of private physicians affiliated with one of the not-for-profit health care systems.
  • Your primary care provider helps you get appointments with specialists and coordinates your care.
  • You won’t get care at military hospitals and clinics or from TRICARE network providers when enrolled in USFHP.

Learn more about getting care with USFHP.

USFHP is available to beneficiaries who live in a designated USFHP service area. You must live in the one of these service areas to enroll.

 
  • Active duty family members pay no enrollment fees and no out-of-pocket costs for any type of care, as long as care is received from the USFHP designated provider.
  • All others pay annual enrollment fees and network copayments.

Learn more about USFHP costs.

How To Enroll 

Visit TRICARE Young Adult Enrollment. If you want to enroll in TYA US Family Health Plan, visit the USFHP enrollment page.

You may live in a different region than your sponsor. Need to find your region? Visit the regions page to see which states are in each region.

For information on disenrolling or ending plan coverage, visit Ending TRICARE Young Adult Coverage.

More Information

To learn more about TYA:

Last Updated 11/19/2024