TRICARE Open Season 2026

By TRICARE Communications     August 2026

TRICARE Open Season is Nov. 9–Dec. 8, 2026. Changes you make during open season will take effect Jan. 1, 2027.

Each fall, TRICARE Open Season lets you change your health care plan for the next calendar year. Changes you make during this time start on Jan. 1 of the next year.

TRICARE Open Season applies to you if you have or qualify for TRICARE Prime (including the Uniformed Services Family Health Plan and the TRICARE Prime Demo), or TRICARE Select. (Open season doesn’t apply to active duty service members.)

Making Enrollment Changes Outside of TRICARE Open Season

Outside of TRICARE Open Season, you can enroll in or change enrollment to a TRICARE Prime option or TRICARE Select following a TRICARE Qualifying Life Event.

• A QLE is a certain change in your life, such as marriage, birth of a child, or retirement from active duty, which may mean different TRICARE health plans are available to you and your family members.
• A TRICARE QLE opens a 90-day period for you to make eligible enrollment changes. A QLE for one family member creates an opportunity for all eligible family members to make enrollment changes.

Dental and Vision Coverage

You may also be eligible to enroll in dental coverage and vision coverage through the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program. Federal Benefits Open Season is Nov. 9–Dec. 7, 2026. Changes you make during this time take effect Jan. 1, 2027.

• Your eligibility depends on your beneficiary status.
• You’ll need to have coverage in a TRICARE health plan to be eligible for vision coverage.
• Outside of Federal Benefits Open Season, you can only enroll in FEDVIP or make changes to your FEDVIP plan if you have a FEDVIP qualifying life event. Some FEDVIP QLEs are different from TRICARE QLEs.

FEDVIP is managed by the Office of Personnel Management. Visit BENEFEDS to check your eligibility, compare FEDVIP plans and rates, enroll in a plan, and more.