NOVEMBER 24, 2025 – For many TRICARE beneficiaries, TRICARE Open Season is the time to make a change to your health plan. As outlined in the TRICARE Choices in the United States Handbook, open season is the annual period when you can enroll or change your health care plan for the following year. This year, TRICARE Open Season began Nov. 10 and ends Dec. 9. Changes you make during open season are effective on Jan. 1, 2026.
“Because open season is your chance to switch from one health plan to another, take time to evaluate your choices and determine which plan works best for your family’s health care needs,” said Zelly Zim, senior program analyst, TRICARE Health Plan Policy & Programs Division, at the Defense Health Agency.
Who can make changes during open season?
Open season applies to you if you’re eligible for one of the following plans:
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- US Family Health Plan (available only in certain areas)
- TRICARE Prime Demo (available only in Atlanta, Georgia and Tampa, Florida areas)
- TRICARE Prime Overseas
- TRICARE Prime Remote Overseas
- TRICARE Select
- TRICARE Select Overseas
Outside of open season, you can make changes to your health plan when you have a qualifying life event. QLEs include milestones such as marriage, the birth or adoption of a child, becoming eligible for Medicare, gaining or losing other health insurance, and a change in the sponsor’s status such as retirement. A QLE opens a 90-day window where you can make changes to your health plan.
Who isn’t eligible to make changes during open season?
Remember: Active duty service members must remain on TRICARE Prime and are ineligible to change their plan during open season.
Open season also doesn’t apply if you have TRICARE For Life. You’re eligible for TFL as soon as you’re Medicare-eligible and have both Medicare Part A and Part B.
Open season also doesn’t apply if you’re eligible for a premium-based plan:
- TRICARE Reserve Select
- TRICARE Retired Reserve
- TRICARE Young Adult
- Continued Health Care Benefit Program
As long as you’re eligible for one of the premium-based plans listed above, you can enroll at any time during the year. You can also disenroll at any time. Be aware that when you disenroll from a premium-based plan, you’re locked out from enrolling in the plan again for 12 months.
Getting dental and vision coverage
Vision coverage depends on your plan and status. Visit Vision to learn what services your plan covers.
The dental plan you enroll in depends on your status. ADSMs receive most of their dental care at military dental clinics, but can be referred to the Active Duty Dental Program if needed.
There is no open season for the TRICARE Dental Program, but there is a minimum enrollment period of 12 months. This plan is available to:
- Active duty family members
- National Guard and Reserve family members
- National Guard and Reserve members who aren’t on active duty or covered by the Transitional Assistance Management Program
- Certain survivors
You may be eligible to enroll in vision and dental coverage through the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program if you’re a:
- Retired service member or family member
- Retired National Guard and Reserve member or family member
- Medal of Honor Recipient or family member
- A survivor
If you fall into one of these categories and are considering making a change to your dental or vision coverage, make sure you act during Federal Benefits Open Season, which began Nov. 10 and ends Dec. 8.
Because your health care needs may change over time, it’s important to evaluate which plan works best for your situation. TRICARE Open Season provides you the opportunity to switch plans without experiencing a QLE.
Check out the TRICARE Plans Overview Fact Sheet to learn about the various plans you may be eligible for. You can also use the TRICARE Plan Finder to enter your sponsor’s military status and see which plans you’re eligible for.
Be sure to contact your regional contractor or visit milConnect by Dec. 9 if you need to make a change.
To learn how to make changes to your plan, read “Get ready for TRICARE Open Season 2025: What you need to know.” To learn about TRICARE health plans at a glance, read “TRICARE Open Season 2025: Understanding your TRICARE health plan options.”