MOAA’s advocacy efforts to protect Group A retirees have paid off with an extension of the TRICARE Select enrollment fee reinstatement period. MOAA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Dana Atkins, USAF (Ret), received the positive news in a letter from the Defense Health Agency (DHA), and the TRICARE website has been updated to reflect the expanded reinstatement period.

DHA understands and agrees with the concerns outlined in MOAA’s letter to the agency and has agreed to extend the reinstatement period from 90 days to 180. Data from past enrollment periods indicates most beneficiaries process enrollment within six months of the new requirement. DHA will conduct an analysis of TRICARE Select retiree enrollment as the 180-day mark approaches and has agreed to consider a further extension based on the enrollment rate at that point.

The extended reinstatement period is critical in protecting Group A retirees who don’t hear about the enrollment fee or otherwise face barriers to processing their payment. Group A retirees who fail to pay the new enrollment fee – $150 annually for an individual, $300 for families – will be disenrolled from TRICARE Select as of Jan 1, 2021, but will now have 180 days to request reinstatement with retroactive coverage.

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While the reinstatement period provides a safety net, failure to pay the enrollment fee will result in loss of TRICARE coverage until enrollment can be reinstated. Coverage will be retroactive, but families may have to pay providers directly for medical care and submit paperwork to TRICARE for reimbursement.

Please note the new TRICARE Select enrollment fee applies only to Group A retirees (those who entered service before Jan. 1, 2018). It does not affect TRICARE For Life (TFL) or TRICARE Prime beneficiaries. It also does not apply to active duty family members, Group A medically retired servicemembers and their families, and survivors on TRICARE Select.

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Group B retirees on TRICARE Select (those who entered service on or after Jan. 1, 2018) already pay an annual enrollment fee of $471 for individual and $942 for family coverage. MOAA’s advocacy during the Military Health System (MHS) reform process resulted in a FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) provision creating TRICARE beneficiary Groups A and B to protect those already serving or retired from the higher Group B enrollment fees.

Set Up Your Enrollment Fee Payment

Group A retiree families on TRICARE Select are encouraged to process their enrollment fee payment as soon as possible – you do not have to wait for TRICARE Open Season to begin.

If you take action before Nov. 20, the monthly allotment payment will be effective Jan. 1, 2021. However, after Nov. 20, you may have to pay for one or more months up front while waiting for the allotment to process. If you’re unable to pay by allotment, you must set up automatic payments via an electronic funds transfer from a U.S. bank account, credit card, or debit card.

Depending on your TRICARE contractor, you can set up your monthly payment by online self-service, phone, or mail. To get started, visit your managed care support contractor’s website:

• TRICARE East Region: Humana Military
• TRICARE West Region: Health Net Federal Services
• TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP): International SOS or contact your TOP Regional Call Center