WASHINGTON -- Have you recently graduated from college, but not yet found your dream job? Or did you just turn 21, and are not enrolled in college?
If you are worried about your health care coverage as a military dependent, TRICARE Young Adult or TYA, may give you the coverage you need. TYA eligibility begins when regular TRICARE coverage ends at age 21, or up to age 23 if enrolled in college.
TYA is an option for unmarried, young adult dependents who have aged out of regular TRICARE coverage. It is only available for individuals and is not offered as a family plan.
The TYA benefit includes either TRICARE Prime (a managed care option available in Prime Service Areas in the United States; you have an assigned primary care manager who provides most of your care), or TRICARE Select (a fee-for-service option in the United States that allows you to get care from any TRICARE-authorized provider. Enrollment is required to participate)
The sponsor’s status and the dependent’s geographic location determine eligibility to purchase TYA Prime or TYA Select. TYA coverage includes medical and pharmacy benefits, but excludes dental coverage.
You qualify to purchase TYA if you are:
1. An unmarried, adult child of an eligible uniformed service sponsor
2. At least age 21, but not yet 26 years old
3. Not eligible to enroll in an employer-sponsored health plan based on your own employment
4. Not otherwise eligible for TRICARE program coverage
To participate, you are required to pay monthly premiums. Your plan options (for example, TYA Prime or TYA Select) and sponsor’s military status determine what you pay for covered services. Check out TRICARE Young Adult Costs to learn more about TYA costs and fees.
If you qualify for TYA, you must actively enroll in and purchase the plan. There are four ways to enroll in TYA:
Online: Go to the Beneficiary Web Enrollment website and log on.
By phone: Call your regional contractor in the U.S. or your TRICARE Overseas Program Regional Call Center overseas to enroll and set up your payment.
By fax: Download the TRICARE Young Adult Application at and fax it to your regional contractor.
By mail: Download the TRICARE Young Adult Application and mail it to your regional contractor.
Before deciding if TYA is right for you, you should review all of your health care options. Visit Children Becoming Adults for more about coverage once TRICARE eligibility ends for dependent children. You can also find other health care coverage options through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Take command of your health, and learn more about TYA and TRICARE coverage at any age. Download the TRICARE Young Adult Fact Sheet and browse other TRICARE publications.