Tricare Costs Set to Rise in 2026
Starting in 2026, most Tricare medical insurance expenses for military families and retirees are expected to increase by 2% to 3%. However, some prescription drug costs could surge by 15% or more.
The military health system revealed the new rates on November 7th, indicating that many users of Tricare Prime and Tricare Select will experience higher annual enrollment fees, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses for medical services. The most significant hikes will occur in the monthly premiums for both Tricare Reserve Select and Tricare Young Adult members, similar to the increases seen in 2025.
Tricare’s open enrollment period, during which members can change their health insurance plans for the upcoming year, runs from November 10 to December 9.
The current costs for the Tricare dental program will remain in effect until February 2026.
Understanding Tricare Groups
Costs vary based on members’ Tricare groups, determined by when the service member first joined the military. Group A includes those who enlisted before January 1, 2018, while Group B consists of those who joined afterward.
Enrollment Fees
Currently, working families are exempt from paying annual enrollment fees for Tricare Prime or Tricare Select, but retirees are not. These fees are set to rise next year.
For Group A retirees enrolled in Tricare Select, the family annual fee will increase from $364.92 to $375, while it will rise from $181.92 to $186.96 for individuals. The enrollment fee for Group A retirees with Tricare Prime will go up from $744 to $765 for families and from $372 to $381.96 for individuals.
Group B retirees will see similar increases, with the family plan fee for Tricare Prime rising from $900.96 to $927.00, and from $450 to $462.96 for the individual plan. For Tricare Select, families will pay an annual fee going from $1,158.96 to $1,191, while individuals will see theirs increase from $579 to $594.96.
Deductible Changes
The annual deductible—what Tricare Select users must pay out-of-pocket before coverage kicks in—will also see increases in 2026. Members on Tricare Prime are not subject to deductibles.
For Group A working family members and retirees, there won’t be any changes to the deductible. However, service members ranked E-4 or lower in Group B will see their family deductible rise from $128 to $132, while families with an E-5 or higher sponsor will see theirs increase from $386 to $397.
Individual members in Group B will also face higher deductibles—up from $64 to $66 for E-4s and below, and from $193 to $198 for E-5s and above.
Co-pay Increases
Many co-pays are set to increase in the coming year. Active Tricare Select users with Group A families will see primary care visit costs rise from $27 to $28, while co-pays for Group B families will stay at $19.
Retirees with Tricare Select will experience higher primary care visit fees, going from $37 to $38 for Group A and from $32 to $33 for Group B. For Tricare Prime, retirees will pay $25 to $26 for a visit.
Monthly Premium Hikes
Some Tricare plans are based on premiums, which will also increase in 2026. For reserve members, premiums for Tricare Reserve Select will rise from $53.80 to $57.88 per month for individuals and from $274.48 to $286.66 for families, reflecting increases of 7.6% and 4.4%, respectively.
For Tricare Retired Reserve, premiums will go up from $631.26 to $645.90 for individuals and from $1,513.04 to $1,548.30 for families.
Additionally, premiums for the Tricare Young Adult Program, applicable to dependents aged 21 to 26, will increase from $727 to $794 for Prime coverage (a 9.2% increase) and from $337 to $363 for Select (up by 7.7%).
Catastrophic Cap Adjustments
The catastrophic cap represents the maximum out-of-pocket expenditure for Tricare beneficiaries each year, which protects them in cases of significant illness or injury. Once beneficiaries hit this cap, Tricare will cover all additional costs.
For Group A retirees with Tricare Select, this cap will rise from $4,261 to $4,381 in 2026, while Group B retirees will see it increase from $4,509 to $4,635.
The limit for working families in Group A, applicable to either Tricare Select or Prime, will remain at $1,000 annually, while the limit for Group B will increase from $1,288 to $1,324.
