Health insurance premiums are rising in 2022 for retired reserve members, transitioning service members and young adults with Tricare plans. But, rates will decrease for reservists, according to an update to Tricare’s operations manual published on the Military Health System website on Sept. 14.
The Defense Health Agency (DHA) published the 2022 rates Sept. 14, 2022 for Tricare’s premium-based health plans. Those plans include Tricare Reserve Select, Tricare Retired Reserve, Tricare Young Adult and the Continued Health Care Benefit Program.
The rates for Tricare Reserve Select are looking at slight decreases while the premiums, which go into effect Jan. 1, 2022, for the other plans are increasing to 11.5% from 3.1%, according to Tricare documents.
Tricare Prime and Select rates are not yet finalized.
Tricare Reserve Select Premiums Decrease
Tricare Reserve Select (TRS), available to Reserve and National Guard members, will cost 1% less for individual coverage, decreasing to $46.70 from $47.20 per month. Families in the plan will pay 3.8% less per month, decreasing to $229.99 from $238.99 per month.
Tricare Retired Reserve Premiums Increase
Enrollees in Tricare Retired Reserve (TRR) will see a 3.6% monthly premium jump to $502.32 from $484.83 for individual coverage. Family premiums will increase 3.5% to $1,206.59 from $1,165.01. The TRR plan is limited to Reserve service members (and their dependents) who are qualified for non-regular retirement, under the age of 60 and are not enrolled in nor are eligible for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program.
Tricare Young Adult Select and Prime Premiums Increase
The monthly premiums for enrollees in Tricare Young Adult Select will increase 3.1%, to $265 from $257.
Tricare Young Adult Prime enrollees will see an 11.5% monthly premium increase to $512 from $459. The Tricare Young Adult (TYA) plans are for qualified adult children between the ages of 21 and 26 who are not eligible for other Tricare plans and are only available for individual coverage.
Continued Health Care Benefit Program Premiums Increase
Quarterly premiums for Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP) plans will increase 3.4% for individuals, to $1,654 from $1,599. Family premiums will increase 11.6% to $4,079 from $3,605. Enrollment in CHCBP provides coverage for those losing Tricare eligibility for 18 to 36 months at the same level as Tricare Select.
Tricare Enrollment Opens in November
Open season enrollment for Tricare plans runs Nov. 8 through Dec. 13.
Tricare has not announced the 2022 annual enrollment fees for the Tricare Prime and Tricare Select plans.
Tricare Prime includes the U.S. Family Health Plan and TYA Prime offerings. Tricare Select includes Tricare Overseas Program (TOP) Select, TRS, TRR, TYA Select and CHCBP offerings.
Tricare’s cost and fees 2021 brochure is available here. Compare Tricare’s plans here.
Managed by DHA, Tricare’s contracted health-insurance providers include Humana, Inc., subsidiary Humana Military; Centene Corp. subsidiary Health Net; and International SOS.
In 2020, the average monthly health insurance premiums were $104 for single coverage and $466 for family coverage in the U.S., according to Kaiser Family Foundation’s 2020 Health Employer Benefits Survey of non-federal public and private firms released in October 2020. The foundation’s 2021 survey hasn’t been released.