TRICARE Open Season 2024 Begins: Learn if You Need To Take Action

FALLS CHURCH, VA, November 11, 2024 -

Have you considered changing your family’s TRICARE health plan for 2025? Now is your opportunity. TRICARE Open Season starts today, Nov. 11, and runs through Tuesday, Dec. 10.

TRICARE Open Season is the annual period when anyone enrolled in or eligible for TRICARE Prime, the US Family Health Plan, or TRICARE Select can change their TRICARE health plan. Changes you make during open season will take effect Jan. 1, 2025.

“It’s important to evaluate your health plan options over the next few weeks,” said Shane Pham, management and program analyst, TRICARE Health Plan Policy and Programs at the Defense Health Agency. “Doing your research now will help ensure that you and your family have the best coverage for your needs.”

If you don’t act by Dec. 10, you can only change your health plan in 2025 if you have a TRICARE Qualifying Life Event. Otherwise, you’ll need to wait until next year’s open season, as described in the TRICARE Choices in the United States Handbook.

Note: TRICARE Open Season doesn’t apply to you if:

You’re an active duty service member.
You have TRICARE For Life coverage. TFL coverage is automatic if you have Medicare Part A and Part B.
You have a premium-based plan (TRICARE Reserve Select, TRICARE Retired Reserve, or TRICARE Young Adult). You can buy these plans any time during the year.

But even if open season doesn’t apply to you, or you don’t want to change your plan, you may still need to act this year.

If you live in the West Region, or in a state that’s moving to the West Region on Jan. 1, you may need to provide your payment information to TriWest Healthcare Alliance, the incoming West Region contractor, by Jan. 1. You must do this if you pay by bank electronic funds transfer or debit or credit card. You don’t need to do this if you pay by military pay system allotment. Allotment payments will transfer automatically. You can learn more at tricare.mil/west. Starting Nov. 11, you can also create an account on TriWest’s patient portal.

Do you want to check what providers are in your regional contractor’s network? Humana Military’s provider directory (East Region) and TriWest’s provider directory (new West Region) are now available. If you live in the current West Region, you should keep using the Health Net Federal Services, LLC provider directory for care through Dec. 31.

Have you decided to change your health plan? Make sure your family’s information is up to date in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System. Then, if you live:

In the East Region: Call Humana Military at 800-444-5445.
In the West Region (including states moving to the West Region: Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin): Call TriWest at 888-TRIWEST (888-874-9378). TriWest’s call center is now open.
Overseas: Update your plan online in milConnect or call International SOS.

You can also download an enrollment form and mail a physical copy to your 2025 regional contractor. (Note: If you live in the U.S., you won’t be able to use the Beneficiary Web Enrollment self-service portal this year.)

Want more information to help you decide if you need to act during open season? Here are some TRICARE Newsroom articles that may help:

Check Out Your 2025 TRICARE Costs: Explore your 2025 out-of-pocket costs for your TRICARE health plan.
Your Comprehensive TRICARE Open Season Checklist: Review the information you should gather and the steps to take to ensure you’re enrolled in the right health plan for your family.
Q&A: What To Know as TRICARE Open Season Begins Nov. 11: Find answers to common questions about this year’s open season, including what’s different compared to past years.
TRICARE Enrollment Freeze and Scheduled milConnect and Beneficiary Web Enrollment Outage Beginning Oct. 25: What To Know: Learn how to change your plan this open season based on where you live—including limitations to making updates online.

Do you have questions about how the new TRICARE contracts may affect you in 2025? Check out these TRICARE Newsroom articles to learn more:

Open season ends in just a few weeks on Tuesday, Dec. 10. Don’t wait to act! Start exploring your health plan options now, so you can choose the best option to fit your family’s needs.