Oh TRICARE, it’s our favorite, isn’t it? Well maybe, maybe not, but TRICARE is our military insurance and like it or not, TRICARE is here to stay.
The new year will bring changes to TRICARE
With a new year, there will be changes to TRICARE that you need to be aware of, especially if you live in one of the six states mentioned below. There will be a new contract for TRICARE known as T-5. According to TRICARE, the changes will improve the delivery, quality, and cost of healthcare services for service members, retirees, and their families.
States are moving
The BIGGEST change that you need to be aware of is that some states will be moving from TRICARE East to TRICARE West. In 2024, TRICARE will continue to have two regional contractors. Humana Military, or Humana Government Busines for TRICARE East, and TriWest Healthcare Alliance Corporation for TRICARE West. Currently, and through the end of 2023, Humana Military is the contractor for TRICARE East, and Health Net Federal Services is the contractor for TRICARE West.
You should know which region you are in based on the state that you live. However, if you live in these states:
- Arkansas
- Illinois
- Louisiana
- Oklahoma
- Texas
- Wisconsin
you will be changing from TRICARE East to TRICARE West. The changes will begin in January 2024, and if you are affected by them you should be notified of what you can expect.
Only certain TRICARE plans use regions:
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Overseas
- TRICARE Select
- TRICARE Select Overseas
- TRICARE Young Adult
- TRICARE Reserve Select
- TRICARE Retired Reserve
If you do have one of these plans you can find out more information about regions on the TRICARE Region page.
Other positive changes to TRICARE coming in 2024 are:
- More efficient referral transfers between the two regions
- Greater provider network flexibility
- Improved beneficiary choice
- Enhanced telehealth appointments
Hopefully, these changes to TRICARE make everything a bit better for everyone.
TRICARE Plans
There are actually quite a few different TRICARE plans depending on what you want to have, how your service member is serving, and active duty status. As you can see, there are many different TRICARE plans out there.
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- TRICARE Prime Overseas
- TRICARE Prime Remote Overseas
- TRICARE Select
- TRICARE Select Overseas
- TRICARE For Life
- TRICARE Reserve Select
- TRICARE Retired Reserve
- TRICARE Young Adult
- TRICARE Plus
- US Family Health Plan
If you are active duty, you can choose between TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select. Some families do this because of what they have access to or if they want to see a certain provider that wouldn’t be possible to see if they stayed on Prime. If you are overseas, you would of course need to use the Overseas options. As a National Guard family, we use TRICARE Reserve Select, and we would not be eligible for TRICARE Prime unless they are activated.
If you are unsure about what plans you can qualify for you, check out this nifty TRICARE Plan Finder. You enter your information and the results will tell you what you need to know.
How much does TRICARE cost?
Curious about TRICARE costs? Use this tool to figure out what they would be based on the type of TRICARE plan you have and your sponsor’s status.
There is a lot about TRICARE to be overwhelmed about, but reading up on the differences and using the tools that are provided can make things a little more clear. I have been using TRICARE for almost 18 years now and I still haven’t quite figured it out.