TRICARE, a comprehensive healthcare program available to active and former servicemembers and their families, is offering its open enrollment period from November 11 to December 10, 2024. During this time, if you are eligible, you may make changes to your plan.
Changes Coming to TRICARE in 2025
If you are satisfied with your current TRICARE plan, no action is required — except for a few cases highlighted below.
1. Temporary Enrollment Online Portal Freeze
The online Beneficiary Web Enrollment (BWE) portal will be unavailable from October 25 through December 31, 2024. During this time, plan changes can only be made by phone or by submitting forms via mail or fax. Because of this, you should ensure that your information in DEERS is updated by October 25.
2. Regional Contractor Updates
In 2025, TriWest Healthcare Alliance will replace Health Net Federal Services in the West Region. Additionally, six states currently in the East Region — Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin — will transition to the West Region starting January 1, 2025.
3. Payment Method Updates for the West Region
If you live in or are moving to the West Region and pay by credit/debit card or electronic funds transfer (EFT), you must update your payment authorization with TriWest by December 31, 2024, to avoid service disruption. Payments will not be processed until January 1, 2025.
4. Impact on Scheduled Care and Provider Networks
While care already scheduled in the East Region will not be affected, West Region enrollees are encouraged to check whether their providers remain in-network under the new TriWest contract.
How to Make Changes During Open Season
From October 28 to December 31, beneficiaries will need to call their regional contractor for changes and submit Open Season requests by phone, fax or mail. Overseas beneficiaries will be able to use milConnect for enrollment or open season changes, unless you’re transferring from the U.S. to an overseas location. To transfer from the U.S., you’ll need to contact International SOS.
- Phone: Call your regional contractor
- East: Humana Military, 800-444-5445
- West: For qualifying life event changes, call Health Net Federal Services, LLC, 844-866-9378. For Open Season changes, call TriWest, 888-874-9378 starting November 11 for the new West Region
- Mail or Fax: Download the appropriate enrollment form from the TRICARE website and send it to your regional contractor.
Don't miss the enrollment window — if you need to change plans or update your coverage, Open Season may be your only opportunity to do so unless you qualify for a special enrollment due to a qualifying life event. If you’re not currently enrolled in a TRICARE health plan and you want to enroll in one between October 28 and December 31, 2024, you can do so online at milConnect by navigating to the “I want to” section and selecting “Manage Health Benefits.”
For further details, visit the official TRICARE website or reach out to your regional contractor.
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. Courtesy Photo by Defense Health Agency. TRICARE Open Season is your chance to choose the health plan that makes sense for your family’s needs. Don’t wait—start thinking about your options today.