Course Catalog / BMU 105 / Lesson 2 of 5
BMU 105
Lesson 2: Enroll in TRICARE within 90 days
Quick review
1. What must happen before you can use TRICARE?
See the answer
You must be registered in DEERS.
2. What do you get at a RAPIDS site?
See the answer
Your ID card.
Why this matters
TRICARE is the health plan for military families. Marriage is a Qualifying Life Event, or QLE. TRICARE says a QLE opens a 90 day window to enroll in a plan.
If you miss it, you may have to wait for the fall Open Season to enroll in TRICARE Prime or Select.
Start with what you already do
You already know health plans have sign up deadlines, like the yearly window at a job.
Common belief: I can sign up for TRICARE any time.
What is actually true: For Prime and Select, you can enroll only after a QLE or in the fall Open Season. A QLE gives you 90 days.
In this lesson you will
- Explain the 90 day window after marriage
- Name the two main plan types for families
- Find your TRICARE region and contractor
Key words
- QLE
- Qualifying Life Event. A change, like marriage, that lets you enroll or change plans.
- Open Season
- The yearly fall window to enroll or change plans.
- regional contractor
- The company that runs TRICARE in your region, East or West.
The 90 day window
TRICARE says to enroll after a QLE, you must update DEERS, make your change within 90 days, and pay any fees due. Coverage starts on the date of the QLE, no matter when in the 90 days you enroll.
If you miss the 90 days: you can get care only at a military hospital or clinic, if space is available, until your next QLE or the fall Open Season.
Two plan types
| Plan | In plain words |
|---|---|
| TRICARE Prime | You have a main doctor, often at the base clinic, who sends you to other doctors. |
| TRICARE Select | You choose doctors from a network, with more choice. |
Use the TRICARE Plan Finder to see which plans you can get. Costs and rules depend on your sponsor's status and where you live. For families of active duty members, TRICARE lists $0 enrollment fees for Prime and Select in 2026.
Your regional contractor
| Region | Contractor | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| East | Humana Military | 800 444 5445 |
| West | TriWest Healthcare Alliance | 888 874 9378 |
Enter your ZIP code on the TRICARE website to see which region you are in. Call the contractor to enroll, change your plan, or find a doctor.
Text version of this figure
Enroll in TRICARE. Do it inside the 90 days.
- Step 1, Be in DEERS: Lesson 1 first.
- Step 2, Use Plan Finder: See which plans you can get.
- Step 3, Find your region: Enter your ZIP code on the TRICARE website.
- Step 4, Enroll within 90 days: Pay any fee due.
- Missed it?: You may have to wait for fall Open Season.
Source: TRICARE Enroll; QLE (Oct 29, 2026).
Dental is separate
The TRICARE Dental Program has its own enrollment. TRICARE says it is separate from health plans. United Concordia runs it. In the United States, call 844 653 4061.
Worked example: Rosa counts the days
Rosa married Dan on March 1. She counts 90 days on a calendar.
- March 8: She is in DEERS and has her ID card.
- March 10: She uses Plan Finder and enters her ZIP code to find her region.
- March 12: She enrolls. Her coverage starts March 1, the date of the QLE.
- Also: She asks about dental.
Rosa is a made up example.
Practice: Count your days
- Lu married on April 10. She lives in a ZIP code in the East region.
- Sam married on January 5 and forgot to enroll. It is now May 1.
For Lu, write her last day to enroll and who she calls. For Sam, write what care he can get now.
Check your practice: feedback
- Lu: April 10 plus 90 days is July 9. She calls Humana Military at 800 444 5445. Her coverage starts April 10.
- Sam: his 90 days ended April 5. Until his next QLE or fall Open Season, he can get care only at a military hospital or clinic, if space is available.
Common mistakes
- Thinking DEERS means you are enrolled. DEERS is step one. Enroll in a plan next.
- Waiting past 90 days. Mark day 90 on your calendar.
- Forgetting dental. Dental is a separate enrollment.
Try it: Add TRICARE to your sheet
Pick your scenario:
- We live near a base clinic
- We live far from a base
- I already have other health insurance
- Write your wedding date.
- Count 90 days and write that date.
- Use Plan Finder and write the plans you can get.
- Find your region with your ZIP code.
- Write your contractor's phone number.
Do it by: this week
Reflect
What questions do you want to ask before you pick a plan?
Check your understanding
1. Ana married on June 1. By about when must she enroll in a TRICARE plan?
- By the end of August
- By June 1 next year
- By the end of the year
See the answer and feedback
A is correct. Right. That is about 90 days after the QLE.
B: That is too late. Review The 90 day window.
C: The window is 90 days, so about the end of August. Review The 90 day window.
2. Ben is in DEERS. Is he enrolled in a TRICARE plan?
- Yes, always
- Not yet, he must enroll
- Only for dental
See the answer and feedback
B is correct. Right. DEERS comes first, then enrollment.
A: DEERS alone is not enrollment. Review Common mistakes.
C: Dental is separate too. Review Dental is separate.
3. What tool shows which plans you can get?
- The milConnect website
- Military OneSource chat
- TRICARE Plan Finder
See the answer and feedback
C is correct. Yes. Use it first.
A: milConnect is for DEERS and benefits records. Review Two plan types.
B: OneSource can point you there, but Plan Finder shows the plans. Review Two plan types.
Takeaway: Enroll inside 90 days
- Marriage opens a 90 day window, and coverage starts on the wedding date.
- Miss it, and you wait for the next QLE or Open Season.
- East: Humana Military. West: TriWest.
- Dental is a separate enrollment.
Recap
- Marriage is a QLE.
- Enroll within 90 days.
- Coverage starts on the QLE date.
- Dental is a separate enrollment.
You now have: your 90 day deadline, your region, and the plans you can get.
Next up
Next you will meet the offices that help families. Go to Lesson 3: Your support offices.
Sources
- Defense Health Agency, TRICARE (checked October 29, 2026). Enroll or Purchase a Plan (updated Sept 23, 2025). Official DoD website, named here but not linked under BMU link rules.
- Defense Health Agency, TRICARE (checked October 29, 2026). Qualifying Life Events. Official DoD website, named here but not linked under BMU link rules.
- Defense Health Agency, TRICARE (checked October 29, 2026). Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). Official DoD website, named here but not linked under BMU link rules.
- Defense Health Agency, TRICARE (checked October 29, 2026). Plan Finder. Official DoD website, named here but not linked under BMU link rules.
- Defense Health Agency, TRICARE (checked October 29, 2026). Contact Us: regional contractors. Official DoD website, named here but not linked under BMU link rules.
- Defense Health Agency, TRICARE (checked October 29, 2026). Costs and Fees, 2026. Official DoD website, named here but not linked under BMU link rules.
- Defense Health Agency, TRICARE (checked October 29, 2026). TRICARE Dental Program. Official DoD website, named here but not linked under BMU link rules.
