TRICARE: Air Force Healthcare Explained

Active duty Airmen pay nothing out of pocket for healthcare. Zero enrollment fees, zero deductibles, zero copays. For a single person, that’s worth several hundred dollars per month compared to what most civilian employers charge for comparable coverage. For a family with three kids, the savings are considerably larger.

The military health system is called TRICARE. This guide covers what active duty members get, what family coverage looks like, how dental and vision work, and what Reserve members should expect.

TRICARE Prime for Active Duty

Active duty Airmen are automatically enrolled in TRICARE Prime. This is a managed care plan similar to an HMO. You have a primary care manager (PCM) who handles routine care and refers you to specialists when needed.

The cost structure for active duty members is straightforward:

You receive care at your installation’s military treatment facility (MTF) when available. If the MTF can’t meet your needs, TRICARE coordinates care through its civilian network.

Coverage is broad. TRICARE Prime for active duty covers:

• Medical visits and hospitalizations
• Preventive care (physicals, immunizations, screenings)
• Mental health and substance use treatment
• Maternity care
• Prescription medications
• Emergency care anywhere in the world

There are no preexisting condition exclusions. Coverage begins on the day you enter active duty.

Family Coverage Under TRICARE

Eligible dependents enrolled in TRICARE Prime also pay no enrollment fees as long as the sponsor is active duty. Copays for family members at civilian network providers are low but not zero.

Active duty family members using civilian network providers face modest costs:

The annual out-of-pocket cap for active duty families is low compared to civilian health plans. The exact figures can change, so verify current cost shares at tricare.mil.

Adding Dependents

When you get married or have a child, you enroll your dependent in DEERS (Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System) within 30 days. Late enrollment can create gaps in coverage. Contact your installation’s ID card office or use the milConnect portal to update your records.

Dental Coverage

Active duty Airmen receive dental care through the Active Duty Dental Program at no cost. Routine cleanings, X-rays, fillings, extractions, and many other procedures are covered through military dental clinics.

For family members, dental coverage is separate. Dependents enroll in the TRICARE Dental Program (TDP), a voluntary plan that requires a monthly premium. Coverage includes preventive care, basic restorative work, and orthodontics at shared-cost rates. The premium and cost shares are modest compared to civilian dental insurance.

What TDP Covers for Dependents

The TRICARE Dental Program uses a tiered cost-share structure based on the type of service:

• Preventive and diagnostic care (cleanings, exams, X-rays): covered at 100% when using a network provider
• Basic restorative care (fillings, simple extractions): member pays a percentage of the cost after a small deductible
• Major restorative care (crowns, bridges): higher cost-share, typically 50% after meeting the annual deductible
• Orthodontia: covered at a percentage, subject to a lifetime maximum benefit; prior authorization is required

Annual maximums and deductibles are set by contract and updated periodically. The program is administered by a TRICARE dental contractor, check tricare.mil for the current contractor and network search tool.

If an active duty member has a dental condition that affects military readiness, treatment is prioritized through the military dental system. Pre-deployment dental readiness is tracked; members who are not dental-ready can be flagged before deployment.

Vision Coverage

Active duty members get routine eye exams and eyeglasses or contact lenses through military treatment facilities. This is covered under the standard active duty health benefit at no cost.

Family members’ vision benefits under standard TRICARE are limited. TRICARE does not include a comprehensive vision plan for dependents. The most common solution is purchasing supplemental vision coverage. Active duty families have access to the Federal Employees Vision Care Program (FEVS) through the National Vision Administrators, offered to DoD personnel. This supplemental plan provides annual exam coverage and an allowance toward frames, lenses, or contact lenses.

Many military associations and veterans organizations also offer group vision rates. Check with your installation’s personal financial counselor for what supplemental coverage options are available at your duty station.

Mental Health Coverage

Mental health treatment is fully covered under TRICARE Prime. This includes:

• Outpatient therapy visits
• Psychiatric care and medication management
• Inpatient behavioral health treatment
• Substance use disorder treatment

Active duty members generally do not need a referral to access mental health services. TRICARE Prime allows direct access to a behavioral health provider without going through your PCM first.

The Air Force also offers behavioral health providers embedded within squadrons through the Military Family Life Counseling (MFLC) program. MFLC counselors provide short-term, confidential support without creating a medical record, which matters to some members concerned about career implications.

If you’re experiencing a crisis, the Veterans Crisis Line (dial 988, then press 1) operates 24 hours a day and is available to active duty service members.

Off-Base Mental Health Referrals

When the MTF behavioral health clinic has limited appointments or capacity, TRICARE will coordinate care through civilian network providers. The process works the same as any other specialist referral, your PCM or behavioral health staff initiates the referral, and you receive care from an off-base therapist, psychiatrist, or counseling center in the TRICARE network.

For family members, civilian network mental health access often has shorter wait times than the MTF. Family members can access off-base behavioral health providers directly through the TRICARE network, subject to the same modest copays that apply to other specialty care visits.

Pharmacy Benefits

Prescriptions are one of the most valuable components of the active duty health benefit. The cost structure for active duty members:

Active duty members pay nothing for any prescription filled through the military pharmacy system. Family members also receive generics at military pharmacies at no cost.

Mail-order pharmacy through the TRICARE Express Scripts program is convenient for maintenance medications, prescriptions for chronic conditions like blood pressure medications, thyroid drugs, or asthma inhalers can be filled in 90-day supplies and shipped directly to your home.

Specialty medications require coordination through TRICARE’s specialty pharmacy program. Some high-cost medications are managed separately and require prior authorization before TRICARE will cover them.

TRICARE When Deployed or Traveling

TRICARE coverage follows you anywhere in the world. The TRICARE Overseas Program covers care when you’re stationed or deployed internationally. Emergency care is covered globally.

When you’re on leave or TDY in the United States, you can seek care from any TRICARE-authorized provider. For urgent care, TRICARE Prime covers the visit with no referral required. Emergency care is covered at any facility.

Reserve Component Coverage: TRICARE Reserve Select

Reservists and Air National Guard members are not automatically covered by active duty TRICARE. Reserve members on Title 10 orders of 30+ consecutive days do qualify for active duty TRICARE during that period.

When not on qualifying orders, Reserve members can purchase TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS). TRS is a premium-based plan with costs significantly below comparable civilian insurance:

• Monthly premiums are set by law and updated annually
• Coverage is similar to TRICARE Prime in scope
• Deductibles and copays apply for most services
• Family coverage is available at a higher premium tier

Check tricare.mil for current TRS premium rates, which change each January.

Coverage After Separation

When you separate from active duty, TRICARE coverage continues for up to 180 days under Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) for members with qualifying service. After TAMP, separated members can purchase TRICARE Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP) for up to 18 months at significantly higher premiums.

Veterans who meet service and disability requirements may qualify for VA healthcare, which is a separate system from TRICARE. Active duty members transitioning out should contact both the VA and TRICARE to understand their options before their separation date.

For retirees with 20 or more years of service, TRICARE coverage continues at different cost tiers. The retirement benefits guide covers that transition.

See the retirement guide for details on how benefits change after 20 years.

This site is not affiliated with the U.S. Air Force or any government agency. Verify all information with official Air Force sources before making enlistment or career decisions.