MOAA-supported, bipartisan legislation introduced in late July would reverse existing regulations forcing military families to pay more than their civilian counterparts to provide health coverage for their young adult children.

The Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act (H.R. 4768/S. 2448) would address this injustice, allowing military dependents to remain on a parent’s plan until age 26, matching the requirement for civilian plans and saving military families as much as $8,724 per year.

[TAKE ACTION: Ask Your Lawmakers to Fix the TRICARE Young Adult Coverage Gap]

“Ensuring our nation’s all-volunteer force remains strong means prioritizing the health and well-being of military families,” MOAA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret), said. “A key part of that effort is making TRICARE a competitive, modern health benefit that supports both recruiting and retention.”

Young adults who stay on a parent’s plan maintain access to medical care during a period of major life transition without facing high out-of-pocket costs or risky coverage gaps. Military families were excluded from this protection, as TRICARE coverage ends at 21 (or at 23 for full-time college students).

Once they lose coverage, dependents can purchase TRICARE Young Adult (TYA), costing military families between $337 and $727 a month. Shrinking TYA enrollment suggests this cost is unsustainable for many military families.

[RELATED: Sending a Child to College? Consider These Health Care Options]

“Military families have sacrificed so much for this country – it’s absolutely unacceptable that they don’t have access to the same health care as every other American,” said Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) in a July 25 press release announcing the reintroduction of the legislation alongside Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.). The Senate version, introduced by Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), was reintroduced the day before.

“As a Navy veteran, military spouse, and Mom, I know firsthand how much military families sacrifice,” Kiggans said in the release. “Our military families deserve the same peace of mind as every other American family — especially when it comes to healthcare.”

Military families “earned access to the same high-quality health care that American families expect,” Kelly said in the release. “That’s why we’re fixing this gap in TRICARE coverage, so young adult children in military families aren’t left behind.” 

[RELATED: MOAA’s TRICARE Guide]

Murkowski called the legislation a “common-sense fix,” adding that “[t]aking care of our servicemembers means taking care of their families, and this bill takes a critical step in fulfilling that responsibility.”

Ask your lawmaker to support military families by cosponsoring this legislation today. Stay up to date with MOAA’s legislative efforts through MOAA’s advocacy news page.