Tricare Reserve Select is an inexpensive, government-sponsored health insurance option for members of the selected reserve and their families. This plan doesn’t require beneficiaries to get referrals from a primary care provider to receive care, and it provides worldwide coverage.
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If you’re in the reserves or National Guard, chances are you have another career outside of the service. You may already have an employer-based health insurance plan, but what if you lose your job or change employers? Perhaps your employer doesn’t offer an insurance plan. Luckily, you don’t need to look beyond the military to get great health insurance.
Tricare Reserve Select, a DoD Military Health System service, offers an excellent and affordable alternative to expensive health insurance in the civilian market. This guide will help determine if you’re eligible for Tricare Reserve Select and if the program suits your family.
Yes, reservists are eligible for Tricare Reserve Select. Tricare Reserve Select is only available to the selected reserve and eligible family members.
You can’t enroll or stay in the plan if you’re on active duty orders, but that doesn’t mean you lose your Tricare coverage entirely. When activated for more than 30 days, you’ll automatically transition to Tricare Prime. Retiring Tricare Reserve Select beneficiaries under 60 are eligible for Tricare Retired Reserve, while those over 60 are eligible for Tricare for Life.
Tricare Reserve Select is a premium-based healthcare plan available to non-activated reservists, National Guard members, and their families. It’s similar to commercial health insurance in that it has copays, deductibles, and premiums.
Tricare Reserve Select offers much lower costs and more flexible coverage compared to other comprehensive health plans in the open marketplace. Unlike many health insurance plans, Tricare Reserve Select covers you even when you’re overseas.
One unique feature of Tricare Reserve Select is that you don’t have to see a primary care provider first or need a referral to receive specialized health care. You can receive care from in-network providers, authorized non-network providers and even military providers when available.
Another advantage is that, unlike other Tricare programs, Tricare Reserve Select members don’t have to wait for the Tricare open season to enroll or change their plan. This ensures that service members called to active duty can change their plan if they are no longer eligible for Tricare Reserve Select due to their duty status.
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You and your family are eligible for Tricare Reserve Select if you are a non active duty member of one of the following:
Aside from duty status, you are ineligible for Tricare Reserve Select if:
Retired reservists aren’t eligible for Tricare Reserve Select but may transition into Tricare Retired Reserve or other private options. Once retired reserve and National Guard members reach age 65, they will become eligible for the Tricare for Life program.
As a premium-based health plan, Tricare Reserve Select’s main costs are monthly premiums, an annual deductible, and cost shares for Tricare-covered services.
| Tricare Reserve Select Costs | |
| Premiums | Individual Plan: $51.95 per month Family Plan: $256.87 per month |
| Deductibles (based on pay grade and plan type) | E1-E4: $62 per individual and $125 per family E5 & above: $188 per individual and $377 per family |
Copayments usually range from $18 to $76 for covered in-network medical and pharmacy services, but some services can be as low as $0, such as newborn care. For out-of-network visits, you must pay 20% of the cost of care for most services. Visit Tricare’s website for a complete list of copayments and cost-shares.
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When eligible, you can purchase Tricare Reserve Select coverage any time during the year by phone or online through the milConnect portal. Enrolling yourself or your family in any Tricare plan requires an updated DEERS profile.
To get coverage, eligible service members must complete a reserve component health coverage request form. You must also make a premium payment to the appropriate Tricare regional contractor.
When activated, reservists and National Guard members become eligible for Tricare Prime and are no longer available for Tricare Reserve Select. Family members can choose between Tricare Prime, Prime Remote, and Tricare Select. To see which is best for you, check out our article comparing Tricare Prime vs. Tricare Select.
When you deactivate, you must re-enroll in Tricare Reserve Select. Otherwise, you and your family may experience a gap in health care coverage. To re-enroll, follow the same enrollment steps listed above.
To avoid coverage gaps when transitioning between active duty orders and non-active status, call Tricare to verify your enrollment before using your insurance.
With its low cost and worldwide accessibility, Tricare Reserve Select has clear advantages for many members of the selected reserves.
Tricare Reserve Select can save members of the selected reserves, guard and their families a ton of money and time compared to employer-based and marketplace health care plans. If your civilian employer isn’t offering better coverage for your situation, consider Tricare Reserve Select for health care coverage for you and your family.
Meaghan Doherty Myers is a freelance writer, specializing in military benefits, personal finance, and defense and security issues. She holds an M.A. in Strategic Studies and International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and recently graduated from the Russian language program at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA. She is an Army spouse, a former ballet dancer, and a former management consultant who lives with her husband and daughter in Alexandria, VA.
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