If you’re a military retiree under 65, you’ve got a decision to make before December 8: keep your TRICARE plan or switch. TRICARE Open Season runs November 9 through December 8, and whatever you choose takes effect January 1, 2027.
For most retirees, it comes down to two plans: TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select. Both cover you well. They just work differently, and you’ll notice the difference in your wallet and in how you get to see a doctor.
Prime: Lower Costs, More Rules
Prime works like an HMO Plan. You’re assigned a primary care manager, or PCM, who coordinates your care. If you need a specialist, your PCM typically sends the referral first.
The upside is cost. Prime generally has lower out-of-pocket costs than Select, and it’s easier to predict what a year of care will run you. The downside is that you give up some freedom. Prime is only offered in Prime Service Areas, so it may not be available where you live. You can go outside the referral system with the Point of Service option, but that costs more, and those charges don’t count toward your catastrophic cap.
Select: More Freedom, More Cost-Sharing
Select is closer to a PPO. You pick any TRICARE-authorized provider you like, with no PCM in the middle. If you travel a lot, split the year between two homes, or just won’t give up your doctor, that flexibility matters.
You pay for it, though. Select comes with an annual deductible and cost-shares on the care you use. Staying in-network keeps those costs down, but if you have surgery or a long hospital stay, it can add up fast.
What the Catastrophic Cap Does
TRICARE limits what you can owe in a year for covered care. Enrollment fees, deductibles and copayments count toward that limit. Costs for services TRICARE doesn’t cover don’t.
For 2026, the cap for Group A retirees and their families is $3,000 per family on Prime and $4,381 per family on Select. Group B caps are higher.
A cap is good protection, but plenty of families can’t comfortably absorb that much in a single year. That is when a TRICARE Supplement Insurance Plan comes in handy.
Where a TRICARE Supplement Fits
A TRICARE Supplement is a separate plan. It doesn’t replace TRICARE, and you don’t have to have one. TRICARE would still be your main coverage. The supplement is there to help cover what TRICARE leaves you owing, like deductibles and cost-shares.
That’s why choosing between Prime and Select and thinking about a supplement tend to go together. The more cost-sharing your plan has, the more a supplement can do for you.
GEA offers a TRICARE Supplement Insurance Plan for eligible members.
Learn more about GEA’s TRICARE Supplement Insurance Plan →
Open Season Quick Facts
- Open Season runs November 9 to December 8, 2026. New coverage starts January 1, 2027.
- It applies to people enrolled in or eligible for Prime or Select. It doesn’t apply to active-duty service members.
- If you like your plan, you don’t have to do anything, as long as you’re still eligible and your fees are paid.
- To make a change, the quickest way is online through milConnect.
- Miss the window and you’ll generally need a TRICARE Qualifying Life Event, like getting married, having a baby or moving, to change plans.
Ready to Compare?
Choosing a plan is a big decision, and you don’t have to sort it out alone. If you want to see how a supplement could work with your TRICARE plan, look at GEA’s TRICARE Supplement Insurance Plan or call GEA at 866-899-0786.
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