Prepare for TRICARE Open Season 2026: Key Dates and Why You Should Enroll Early

TRICARE Open Season for 2027 coverage runs from November 9 to December 8, 2026. Eligible beneficiaries can enroll in or change their TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select plans during this period, with changes taking effect January 1, 2027.

A September Federal Register notice contains conflicting dates. Its main announcement lists TRICARE Open Season as November 9–December 8, 2026, while a later passage refers to November 10 as the start date.

The notice also lists December 7 as the deadline for FEDVIP enrollment. Current TRICARE guidance and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which administers FEDVIP, list December 14 instead.

Who Needs to Review Their TRICARE Coverage?

During Open Season, eligible beneficiaries can enroll in TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select or change their existing coverage. This includes many retirees and their eligible family members who have or qualify for TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select. Retirees using TRICARE For Life don’t participate in TRICARE Open Season.

Active-duty service members do not participate in Open Season. The annual enrollment period also excludes beneficiaries enrolled in TRICARE For Life, TRICARE Young Adult, and the Continued Health Care Benefit Program. These programs follow their own enrollment rules.

TRICARE Reserve Select and TRICARE Retired Reserve also follow separate enrollment rules and are not part of TRICARE Open Season. Eligible members can purchase these plans outside the annual Open Season, subject to each plan’s eligibility and enrollment requirements.

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What Can You Do During TRICARE Open Season?

During Open Season, eligible beneficiaries can take two main options, depending on their current coverage and health care needs:

• Enroll in a plan. If you're eligible for a TRICARE Prime option or TRICARE Select but aren't enrolled, you can enroll in a plan.
• Change your coverage. Current enrollees can switch to another eligible plan or change between individual and family enrollment.

Outside Open Season, eligible beneficiaries generally need a TRICARE Qualifying Life Event (QLE) to make enrollment changes. Marriage, the birth or adoption of a child, and retirement from active duty are examples of events that may open a 90-day window. A qualifying event affecting one family member may also allow other eligible family members to change their coverage.

Before submitting an enrollment change, check that your contact information is current in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).

"Being able to use TRICARE depends on you keeping your information current in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS)," TRICARE guidance states. "If you don't show as eligible for TRICARE in DEERS or your information is incorrect, it could prevent you from using your TRICARE benefit. You may also miss important information and enrollment deadlines."

You should also verify your payment information with your TRICARE regional contractor to help prevent coverage interruptions.

What Happens If You Do Nothing?

If you're already enrolled in TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select and don’t make a change, your current coverage generally continues into 2027 as long as you remain eligible and meet applicable payment requirements.

If you're eligible but aren't enrolled, doing nothing during Open Season won't enroll you. After the enrollment period ends, you generally need a qualifying life event to enroll outside Open Season. Otherwise, you'll only be eligible for care at a military hospital or clinic if space is available.

Check the FEDVIP Deadline Separately

Beneficiaries planning to enroll in or change FEDVIP dental and vision coverage have a different enrollment window from TRICARE Open Season. Current OPM and TRICARE guidance agree on the FEDVIP closing date, but the September Federal Register notice gives an earlier deadline.

FEDVIP eligibility depends on beneficiary status. Retired service members and eligible family members may qualify for FEDVIP dental coverage, including retirees using TRICARE For Life. Vision coverage is also available to eligible beneficiaries who are enrolled in a qualifying TRICARE health plan.

Beneficiaries can use BENEFEDS to check their eligibility, compare available plans and rates, and enroll. Outside Federal Benefits Open Season, enrollment changes generally require a FEDVIP qualifying life event. These events can differ from TRICARE's rules, so beneficiaries should confirm the requirements for their specific coverage.

What Beneficiaries Should Keep in Mind

TRICARE and FEDVIP are separate enrollment processes, so beneficiaries considering changes to both should review each program's eligibility rules and deadlines before making a decision.

Check current TRICARE, OPM, and BENEFEDS guidance as Open Season approaches, particularly if official information is updated before enrollment begins.

"I recommend going ahead and doing it as soon as you make your decision, because you know how life can get in the way of remembering things," military finance expert Kate Horrell advised families navigating Open Season. "Or internet goes out. Or people get sick. We’ve all been there... do not leave this until the last minute."

We asked the Defense Health Agency to clarify the conflicting FEDVIP enrollment deadlines and will update this article if we receive additional information.