How Much Does TRICARE Cost?

Published on August 19, 2025 | Prices Last Reviewed for Freshness: February 2026
Written by Alec Pow - Economic & Pricing Investigator | Content Reviewed by Jordan Lee, Licensed Insurance Producer

Educational content; not financial advice. Insurance pricing varies by underwriting, coverage limits, deductibles, and region; confirm details with a licensed insurer.

Our data shows that TRICARE remains one of the lowest-cost health-coverage options in the United States, yet the actual price you pay hinges on plan choice, eligibility group, and how often you use care.

Active-duty families see almost no fees, while retirees and reservists face higher premiums and occasional copays. This guide breaks down every 2025 rate, deductible, and cap so you can estimate your yearly medical spend with confidence.

Article Insights

• $0 enrollment for active-duty families in Prime and Select
• Retiree Prime family fee tops out at $900
• Select retiree family deductible reaches $386
• $4,509 catastrophic cap protects retiree budgets
• Generic mail-order meds stay $0
• FEDVIP dental premiums peak at $111 a month
• Reserve programs carry the steepest monthly cost ($1,513 for Retired Reserve families)

How Much Does TRICARE Cost?

The cost of a TRICARE plan starts from $0 per individual up to$1,500+ per family, per month.

We compiled Defense Finance and Accounting Service tables into one snapshot.

Cmdr. James Kinkaid, former DHA policy lead, reminds families that “enrollment payment is due every January; miss it and late-charges apply.”

MyArmyBenefits says that for active duty family members, annual enrollment fees for both TRICARE Prime and Select remain $0. Deductibles under TRICARE Select are $50–$64 for individuals (E-4 and below) and $150–$193 (E-5 and above). Annual catastrophic caps (maximum out-of-pocket) range from $1,000 to $1,288. Copays for network care under Select (Group A) in 2025: $27 for primary care visits, $38 for specialty care, $105 for emergency room visits. TRICARE Prime users generally have no copays unless using the point-of-service option or outside pharmacies.

For retired service members and their families, 2025 TRICARE Prime charges annual enrollment fees of $372 (individual) or $744 (family) for Group A (entered service before Jan. 1, 2018) and $450/$900.96 for Group B. TRICARE Select fees are $181.92 (individual) or $364.92 (family) for Group A, and $579/$1,158.96 for Group B.

The Select plan includes a deductible: $150 (individual)/$300 (family) for Group A and $193 (individual)/$386 (family) for Group B. The catastrophic cap is $3,000 for Prime and $4,261 for Select. Out-of-pocket copays for retirees under Prime include $25 primary care and $38 specialty care; under Select, $37–$51 per visit depending on the type of care and plan group.

According to Health.mil, premium-based plans in 2025 include TRICARE Reserve Select at $53.80/month (individual) or $274.48/month (family), TRICARE Retired Reserve at $631.26/month (individual) or $1,513.04/month (family), and TRICARE Young Adult at $727/month (Prime) or $337/month (Select). The Continued Health Care Benefit Program costs $1,849/quarter (individual) and $4,621/quarter (family).

Pharmacy costs are generally unchanged in 2025, with generic prescriptions from a military pharmacy at $0, but network retail or mail order prescriptions range from $13 to $76 for up to a 90-day supply depending on the medication and network status.

Why TRICARE Costs Vary

We found clear cost gaps between active-duty families, retirees, and Guard/Reserve households. Eligibility drives premium requirements, deductible thresholds, and pharmacy copay levels. Data from the Defense Health Agency confirms that Group A enrollees (sponsored before 1 January 2018) lock in lower limits, while Group B members pay more. Even within the same plan, out-of-network charges can double your payment. Knowing these variables lets each beneficiary match budget to expected care.

TRICARE Plans

Our team tracks six core plans: TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Select, TRICARE Reserve Select, TRICARE Retired Reserve, TRICARE Young Adult, and premium-based US Family Health Plan. Prime delivers HMO-style managed-care with tight network rules; Select adds outpatient choice for a modest cost-share. Reserve programs mirror civilian insurance with monthly payments. Young Adult fills the gap for dependents aged 21-26. Each policy sets different coverage limits and benefit rules that show up later in your bill.

Also check out our articles about the cost of Medicare, Obamacare, or COBRA insurance.

Deductibles, Copays, and Cost-Sharing 

Data from Humana Military shows Select deductibles run $50–$193 per individual and $100–$386 per family for active-duty dependents, doubling for most retirees. Prime skips deductibles but imposes copays: $19–$37 for primary care, $32–$51 for a specialist, and $51–$72 for an emergency-room visit. Out-of-network “point-of-service” rules force a 50 percent cost-share after you satisfy the higher deductible. Dr. Karen Kelly, former TRICARE Chief Medical Officer, advises sticking to network providers to “avoid surprise bills that exceed the scheduled rate.”

The Annual Maximum You’ll Pay

Defense Health Agency schedules set the catastrophic cap at $1,000 for active-duty families in Group A, $1,288 for Group B, and $4,261–$4,509 for retirees. Once your family’s payments reach the cap, TRICARE picks up 100 percent of covered care for the rest of the year (give or take a few dollars). Mary Harbin, a certified TRICARE benefit counselor, says hitting the cap early “turns every subsequent hospital or pharmacy bill into a zero-cost receipt.”

Annual Cost Changes

We found that the Defense Health Agency applied its standard cost-of-living formula again, nudging most 2025 prices up 2–3 percent—a pattern confirmed by Military.com’s November rate brief. Prime and Select enrollment fees, Select deductibles, and several copay lines moved just enough to beat inflation, while premium-based plans jumped more sharply.

Outside the window, switching plans demands a Qualifying Life Event. That rule leaves little room to manage late-year medical expenses, so marking both closing dates on a personal calendar shields families from unintended higher out-of-network charges.

Beneficiaries in the West Region also had to update recurring payment details with TriWest by Dec 31 to prevent an automatic lapse.

Premium-Based Plans 

Our data shows premium plans mimic marketplace insurance. TRICARE Reserve Select charges $54 for an individual and $274 for a family each month; TRICARE Retired Reserve spikes to $631 and $1,513. TRICARE Young Adult sits at $337 for Select or $727 for Prime. Each premium covers policy administration, with no Department of Defense subsidy for Retired Reserve. These numbers often startle new reservists; Maj. Dylan Ortiz (USAF R) calls the jump from Active-Duty Prime fees to Retired Reserve ”a beneficiary budget shock.”

Prescription Drug Costs 

Express Scripts data sets pharmacy copays at $13 for a 30-day generic retail fill, $38 for brand-name, and $76 for non-formulary. Mail-order generics remain $0 for up to 90 days, saving repeat users roughly $156 annually. Active-duty service members pay $0 for any covered prescription when filled on base. These prices adjust every January, so plan an extra 2–3 percent cushion in your annual cost forecast.

Mail-Order Pharmacy

We found that swapping two 30-day retail generic fills ($32) for a single 90-day home-delivery order ($13) saves $19 every refill cycle—more than $220 a year for common maintenance meds. Combine that with in-network provider usage and you slash the odds of hitting unexpected non-network charges that burn through your catastrophic cap faster than planned.

A quick cap-targeting method: add Prime or Select fees to your known outpatient volume, then preload any elective therapy early if you approach the $4,509 limit. Once the cap triggers, every additional covered service and drug clears at $0 for the rest of the calendar year.

Retirees can also layer FEDVIP preventive dental cleanings—fully covered after the premium—to avoid higher periodontal treatment bills that don’t count toward TRICARE’s medical limit. Calculators on BENEFEDS let you model out-of-pocket expenses by CPT code before you commit.

Dental and Vision Program Costs

We reviewed FEDVIP 2025 tables: dental premium ranges from $12 to $111 a month; vision sits between $6 and $33. Retirees must opt in during Open Season or after a qualifying life event. Col. Lydia Scott (USA Ret.), now a FEDVIP liaison, advises budgeting for these “essential preventive-care fees” because TRICARE medical plans “exclude routine cleanings and glasses.”

Different Beneficiary Categories

Defense Health Agency fact sheets confirm active-duty service members and dependents face near-zero cost, retirees under 65 encounter moderate copays and deductibles, while Medicare-eligible retirees slide into TRICARE For Life with Medicare Part B premium obligations. National Guard/Reserve members carry the monthly charges noted earlier. Survivors and certain former spouses keep coverage at the rate tied to the sponsor’s last status.

Hidden or Unexpected TRICARE Costs

We found three common surprises: out-of-network billing at 115 percent of the TRICARE maximum allowable rate, travel to specialty treatment not available locally, and non-covered experimental therapy. A missed enrollment deadline can trigger a reinstatement fee up to $28 plus prorated premium. Sticking to network care and confirming coverage codes before appointments keeps these expenses minimal.

 TRICARE vs Civilian Health Insurance Costs

Data from Kaiser Family Foundation pegs the average civilian family premium at $24,152 with a $1,735 annual deductible. Even the highest TRICARE retiree family fee of $1,158 plus copays rarely surpasses $3,000 out-of-pocket. The trade-off: Prime requires referrals and limited provider choice, while Select users shoulder higher out-of-network payments.

2025 Pharmacy Copay Schedule

Defense Health Agency left the TRICARE Pharmacy Program copay grid unchanged for 2025, but Express Scripts’ FAQ highlights the current tiers: home-delivery generic prescriptions cost $13 for a 90-day supply, brand-name $38, and non-formulary $76. Retail-network 30-day fills run $16, $43, and $76 respectively.

Using a military-base pharmacy still wipes the entire bill for covered drugs, and active-duty members pay nothing wherever they fill. The Defense Health Agency projects that holding these rates flat through Dec 31, 2025, will offset the larger premium jumps in Reserve and Young Adult plans.

Non-network fills remain the most expensive option, charging either the full claim amount or 20 percent above the maximum-allowable price after your annual deductible.

Estimate Annual TRICARE Costs

We suggest five steps:

1. Confirm eligibility and pick a plan.
2. Add annual enrollment fee or monthly premium.
3. Project copays, deductibles, and potential pharmacy charges.
4. Include optional dental and vision coverage.
5. Check how close your total comes to the catastrophic cap; anything beyond is free.

When we tested a retiree family of four on Select, the tally hit $1,158 (enrollment) + $700 (copays/deductibles) + $456 (pharmacy) + $792 (dental/vision) = $3,106.

Answers to Common Questions

Does TRICARE charge a late-payment penalty?

Yes. Missed enrollment invoices add a modest $28 reinstatement fee, and coverage lapses until payment clears.

Can I switch from Prime to Select mid-year?

Only after a qualifying life event, which resets your deductible and may alter the catastrophic cap tally.

Are mental-health visits priced differently?

Prime imposes the same $32–$51 copay as other specialty care; Select follows its standard cost-share.

What happens when a dependent turns 21?

They move to TRICARE Young Adult at $337–$727 monthly unless enrolled at college full-time, which extends standard coverage to 23.

Does TRICARE cover long-term nursing-home stays?

No. Once skilled-nursing days run out, beneficiaries must explore other insurance or pay the full rate privately.