Retirees on Tricare Select: Set Up Your Payment Plans for 2021

Hey, my retiree friends, go set up your Tricare Select enrollment fee payment plans now. Right now. Seriously.

Starting in 2021, retirees under age 65 who are using Tricare Select and are in Group A (the sponsor entered the military before 1 January 2018) will be required to pay an enrollment fee in the amount of $25 per month ($300 per year) for a family and $12.50 per month ($150 per year) for an individual. You need to set up a payment method.

The preferred payment method for Tricare enrollment fees is allotment. Payment can also be made by a recurring credit or debit card transaction or an electronic funds transfer (EFT). Because payment arrangements take a full month to get through the system, the payment must be set up by 20 November 2020 for Tricare to receive the payment at the beginning of January.

Now, that’s not to say that your options close on 20 November 2020. You can still set up a payment method, but you’ll have to pay the first month(s) upfront. 

If you don’t have a payment method set up by 31 December 2020, your Tricare coverage will lapse until you get payments set up. There is a grace period of 180 days to reinstate your coverage by paying the past enrollment fees. If you do not set up your Tricare enrollment, you will only be eligible for care at military treatment facilities on a non-priority basis.

How To Set Up Tricare Enrollment Fee Payments

Set up your Tricare enrollment fee payments through your Tricare regional contractor. You can do it online, by phone, or by mail, depending on the contractor. Call volumes are high so online is probably easiest, but you may have to set up a login if you have not already done so.

Tricare East: Humana Military

telephone: 1-800-444-5445

website: https://infocenter.humana-military.com/South/Bene/obs/forms/payments/Allotment

Tricare West: Health Net

telephone: 1-844-866-9378

website: https://www.hnfs.com/idp/bene-login.fcc

Tricare Overseas: International SOS

telephone: you can find your TOP regional call center here

by mail: http://www.tricare-overseas.com/select-retirees

A Few Notes To Know

The enrollment fee is waived for active duty family members, medically retired retirees and their family members, and the survivors of an active duty sponsor or medically retired retiree. This change does not affect those over 65 using Tricare for Life with their Medicare coverage.

Folks are getting email confirmations of their payment arrangements but they are not always coming quickly. You should be able to see that your payment arrangement is set up by checking your online account.

The Coast Guard and Public Health Service payment system is not currently set up to make payments for Tricare enrollment fees. You’ll have to use a debit or credit card or set up an EFT.

It only takes a few minutes to set up your enrollment fee payment arrangements, so just go do it now. That’ll be one thing off your plate going into the busy holiday season!