Loss of Eligibility

You may lose TRICARE coverage for a number of reasons. For instance:

  • SeparatingSeparating from the military means that you leave the service before you retire. from the service
  • Loss of eligibility due to age
  • Change in marital status

You’ll be notified if and when you lose eligibility for TRICARE. Each person in your family enrolled in TRICARE will receive a notice. If you lose TRICARE coverage, it also means you’ll no longer have minimum essential coverageBasic health care coverage that meets the Affordable Care Act requirement.. In order to make sure you still have health care coverage, you’ll have some choices to make about your health care. Here are a few of your options:

Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP)

  • You might qualify for the TAMP. 
  • TAMP offers 180 days or transitional health coverage.

Continued Health Care Benefit Program

Other Options

You can use:

  • Employer’s sponsored health insurance,
  • Medicaid, or 
  • Any other plan offered through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
  • Dependent children who age out of TRICARE may qualify to purchase TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) coverage up to the age of 26

Note: The loss of eligibility for TRICARE will result in the loss of your transitional survivor status.

Reasons for Loss

Your eligibility for TRICARE may end for several reasons. This list isn’t all inclusive.

Reasons for Loss

Description

Sponsor Separates from Active Duty
You Have Medicare Part A, but don't Purchase Part B

You may be eligible for Medicare Part A due to your age, disability or other reasons. If you're getting Social Security disability benefits:

  • You become eligible for Medicare Part A starting on the 25th month of receiving Social Security disability payments.
  • The Social Security Administration notifies you of your Medicare start date.
  • You should purchase Medicare Part B when you first become entitled to Medicare Part A, regardless of your age.

If you don't purchase Part B when you first become eligible for it, you may lose your eligibility for TRICARE. >>Learn More
Dependent Child Reaches Age Limit

Your children can get regular TRICARE coverage up to age 21. If they’re enrolled in college and their sponsor is providing for at least half of their financial support, they can keep their TRICARE coverage until they turn 23.

After aging out at 21 or 23, they may qualify for TRICARE Young Adult. This will cover them until they turn age 26. Keep in mind that your child’s coverage, through TRICARE Young Adult, does depend on their sponsor’s TRICARE eligibility. >>Learn More
Divorce

In a divorce, the former spouse will lose eligibility for TRICARE unless they meet specific requirements. >>Learn More
Surviving Spouse, Widow, or Former Spouse Remarries
 If a surviving spouse, widow or eligible former spouse remarries, they will lose eligibility for TRICARE. They can retain TRICARE if they marry another uniformed service member.

The loss of eligibility for TRICARE will also result in the loss of transitional survivor status.
DEERS Information Not Kept Up-to-Date

One way you can temporarily lose coverage is to let your information in DEERS lapse. If you lose eligibility this way, simply update your information on DEERS to restore your coverage. >>Learn More

DEERS won’t automatically re-enroll you in your other health plans. You may contact your regional contractor to re-enroll in your other health plans.

Last Updated 2/21/2023