Beginning Nov. 11, military retirees and eligible beneficiaries who use Tricare can enroll in or make changes to their health care coverage.

Tricare open season, which runs through Dec. 10, allows beneficiaries who use Tricare Prime, Tricare Select or the U.S. Family Health Plan to stay on their plan, enroll in a plan or change plans. Changes go into effect Jan. 1.

For beneficiaries living in the United States, Tricare announced the move of six states from the East Region to the West Region. The states moving to the West Region are Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin.

As of Jan. 1, TriWest Healthcare Alliance will replace Health Net Federal Services as the West Region contractor, while Humana Military will continue as the contractor for the East Region.

All beneficiaries must confirm their information in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, or DEERS. Those in the West Region, including those whose states are moving, can check tricare.mil/west beginning Nov. 11 if their providers are in the TriWest network.

Those who pay enrollment or premium payments by credit card or bank transfer will need to transfer payment information to the TriWest self-service patient portal by Dec. 31.

Those who are not already in a plan and don’t enroll during open season could still receive care, but they will “only be eligible for care at a military hospital or clinic if space is available,” according to the Tricare website. Outside of Tricare open season, beneficiaries can enroll or change their enrollment following certain life events, including marriage, the birth of a child or retirement from active duty.

Open season does not apply to active-duty service members. It also does not apply to Tricare for Life—coverage is automatic for eligible beneficiaries who have Medicare Part A and Part B, according to Tricare.

Premium-based plans, including Tricare Reserve Select, Retired Reserve and Young Adult, also are not impacted by open season. Eligible beneficiaries can buy these plans at any time throughout the year, according to Tricare.

Additionally, eligible military beneficiaries have until Dec. 9 to enroll in or make changes to their vision and/or dental coverage through the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program. Known as FEDVIP, the program, managed by the Office of Personnel Management, offers a range of plans at varying costs, and coverage is not automatic, so beneficiaries must act to enroll in a dental or vision plan.

Open season for FEDVIP begins Nov. 11 and ends Dec. 9.

For more information on Tricare and FEDVIP open seasons, click here.

For information on health plan costs for 2025, click here.