Tricare fee increases for 2023 revealed

  • Published
  • By Karen Jowers, Military Times

Samuel Thomas, 4, gets his COVID-19 vaccination on July 20, becoming the first kid under the age of 5 to get vaccinated against COVID at Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River, Md. Samuel's dad, Capt. David Thomas, is the clinic's commanding officer.

Samuel Thomas, 4, gets his COVID-19 vaccination on July 20, becoming the first kid under the age of 5 to get vaccinated against COVID at Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River, Md. Samuel's dad, Capt. David Thomas, is the clinic's commanding officer.
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WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio--- Some military families will see a rise in their health care costs come January, even as they’re stretching their dollars to cover higher prices for food, fuel and other necessities.

Generally, if you’ve been paying out-of-pocket for Tricare in 2022, you’ll pay extra in 2023.

Active duty families in Tricare Select don’t pay annual enrollment fees, but they will see small co-payment increases, generally by a few dollars, for most services starting Jan. 1. Some will also see increases in their annual deductible, meaning they will have to spend more out of pocket before Tricare starts to pay.

There are also planned increases in co-payments and annual enrollment fees for retirees, their families and others, according to fee schedules just released by the Defense Health Agency.

Active duty service members and their families in Tricare Prime (including U.S. Family Health Plan) don’t pay annual enrollment fees, annual deductibles or out-of-pocket costs for covered services. Families pay only when they get nonemergency care without a referral, use non-network providers without authorization, or use a pharmacy other than a military pharmacy.

Active duty families in Tricare Select don’t pay annual enrollment fees either, but working age retirees, their family members and most others do, and those fees are going up.

Tricare for Life members don’t pay enrollment fees.

Tricare Open Season runs from Nov. 14 to Dec. 13. This is the only time of year when those eligible for, or enrolled in, Tricare Prime or Tricare Select can make changes to their health care coverage unless they have a qualifying life event during the year, such as a marriage, birth, permanent change of station move or retirement.

So, now is the time to scrutinize the costs to see what works for your situation. If you’re satisfied with your plan, you don’t have to take any action. Any changes you make will take effect on Jan. 1.

By law, there are differences in some costs based on when the sponsor entered the military. Those who entered before Jan. 1, 2018, are part of Group A, while those who entered on or after Jan. 1, 2018, are part of Group B.