TRICARE is a healthcare program that benefits the Army, Navy and Air Force for all Active Duty, Activated Guard & Reserves, Retired members of the uniformed services, their families and survivors. This healthcare networks with civilian health care professionals to provide better access & good service while supporting military operations.
Service members who are Active Duty and Guard and Reserve are automatically enrolled in TRICARE Prime but military dependent & retirees have to choose the TRICARE that's best suited to them.
There are three main coverage choices in using TRICARE:
TRICARE Prime--Military Treatment Facilities are the main source of health care
TRICARE Extra--a preferred provider option that saves money
TRICARE Standard--just like the old CHAMPUS program, it is a fee for service option

The following differentiates the benefits afforded to active and non-active status:
Eligible Active Duty, Guard And Reserve Family Members:
TRICARE Prime has no annual deductible and no annual enrollment fee. Civilian Outpatient Visits, Civilian Inpatient Admission and Civilian Inpatient Behavioral Health are no cost. Civilian Inpatient Skilled Nursing Facility Care has $0 per diem charge per admission. There is no separate co-payment/cost-share for separately billed professional charges.

TRICARE Extra has $150/individual or $300/family for E-5 and above and $50/$100 for E-4 and below.There is no Annual Enrollment Fee. Civilian Outpatient Visits are 15% of the negotiated fee. Civilian Inpatient Admission is the greater of $25 or $14.35 per day. Civilian Inpatient Behavioral Health is the greater of $20 per day or $25 per admission. Civilian Inpatient Skilled Nursing Facility Care costs $11/day ($25 minimum) Charge per admission

TRICARE Standard has an annual Deductable of $150/individual or $300/family for E-5 and above; $50/$100 for E-4 and below. There is no Annual Enrollment Fee. Civilian Outpatient Visits pay 20% of allowed charges for covered service. Civilian Inpatient Admission is the greater of $25 or $14.35 per day. Civilian inpatient Behavioral Health we pay the Greater of $20 per day or $25 per admission. All Civilian Inpatient Skilled Nursing Facility Care has an $11/day ($25 minimum) Charge per admission.

Retirees (under 65), Their Family Members, and Others

TRICARE Prime has no annual deductible. There is an Annual Enrollment fee of $230/individual and $460/family. There are no Civilian Cost Shares. There is a $12 fee for Outpatient visits, $30 Emergency Care, $25 Mental Health Visit and $17 (group visit). Civilian Inpatient Cost share is the greater of $11 per day or $25 per admission; and no separate copayment for separately billed professional charges. The Civilian Inpatient Skilled Nursing Facility Care has an $11/day ($25 minimum) charge per admission. Civilian In patient Behavioral Health is $40 per day and no charge for separately billed professional charges

TRICARE Extra costs $150/individual or $300/family. There are no Annual Enrollment Fee. Civilian Cost Shares are 20% of negotiated fee. There is a Civilian Inpatient Cost Share of Lesser of $250/day or 25% of negotiated charges plus 20% of negotiated professional fees. Civilian Inpatient Skilled Nursing Facility Care has a $250 per diem cost share or 20% cost share of total charges, whichever is less, institutional services, plus 20% cost share of separately billed professional charges. Civilian Inpatient Behavioral Health is 20% of the total charge. Plus 20% of the allowable charge for separately billed professional services

TRICARE Standard has an annual Deductable of $150/individual or $300/family. There is no Annual Enrollment Fee. Civilian Cost Shares are 25% of the allowed charges for covered service. Civilian Inpatient Cost Share is the Lesser of $535/day or 25% or billed charges plus 25% of allowed professional fees. Civilian Inpatient Skilled Nursing Facility Care has fees of 25% cost-share of allowed charges for institutional services, plus 25% cost-share of allowable for separately billed professional charges. Civilian Inpatient Behavioral Health using High Volume Hospitals - 25% hospital specifi per diem, plus 25% of the allowable charge for separately billed professional services. When using Low Volume Hospitals, the cost is $175 per day or 25% of the billed charges, whichever is lower, plus 25% of the allowable charge for separately billed services.

Inpatient Admission is the greater of $25 or $14.35 per day. Civilian inpatient Behavioral Health we pay the Greater of $20 per day or $25 per admission. All Civilian Inpatient Skilled Nursing Facility Care has an $11/day ($25 minimum) Charge per admission

With all of this said, there are other TRICARE Programs available, to include Dental care. Don't pay extra for the things that you have rightfully earned by working so hard for our country and our family. These are benefits that we deserve; use it or lose it!