What is the TRICARE Young Adult program?

 

TRICARE Young Adult is a health plan qualified young adults can buy after TRICARE eligibility ends at age 21 or 23.  Plan options are TRICARE Young Adult-Prime and TRICARE Young Adult-Select. Coverage is available worldwide and ends when the young adult turns 26 years old. To learn more, visit the TRICARE Young Adult page. 

Costs:

• You must pay a monthly premium
• Your plan option (TRICARE Young Adult-Prime or TRICARE Young Adult-Select) and sponsor's status (for example, active duty or retiree) determine what you pay for covered services.
• Use the TRICARE Compare Cost Tool to see your costs.

Providers:

TRICARE Young Adult-Prime Option – you will have a military or network primary care manager (PCM) who provides most of your care.

TRICARE Young Adult-Select Option – you may see any TRICARE-authorized provider. To pay less, use network providers. You may get care at a military hospital or clinic if space is available.

 

Referrals and Authorizations:

TRICARE Young Adult-Prime Option – you need a referral for all services you don’t get from your PCM. You don’t need a referral for preventive services or outpatient mental health care visits.

TRICARE Young Adult-Select Option – you usually don’t need a referral for primary and specialty careSpecialized medical/surgical diagnosis, treatment, or services a primary care provider isn’t qualified to provide. appointments. You need a referral for Applied Behavioral Analysis. You need preauthorization for some procedures and treatments. For example, you may see a pain specialist without a referral, but you would still need approval for some pain treatments. 

 

Covered Services:

Visit the Covered Services page to find out if your service is covered.

 

Pharmacy Benefits:

Included as part of the TRICARE Pharmacy Program. To learn more, visit the Pharmacy page.

 

Dental Benefits:

Not included. You may buy separate dental coverage. To learn more, visit the Dental Care page. 

 

Vision Benefits:

Available but it depends on the TRICARE Young Adult option, your sponsor’s status, and the type of care you need. To learn more, visit the Vision page.

You may have the option to enroll in vision coverage through the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP). To learn more, visit BENEFEDS.com.