If your active duty sponsor separates from the uniformed services, TRICARE coverage may or may not continue, depending on the circumstances of the separation. TRICARE offers two transitional health care options—the Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) and the Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP) —that offer temporary coverage until you have a new health plan.
TAMP provides 180 days of transitional health care benefits to certain uniformed service members and their families, if the active duty sponsor is:
Involuntarily separating from active duty under honorable conditions
A member of the National Guard or Reserves separating from active duty after a period of more than 30 consecutive days in support of a contingency operation
Separating from active duty following involuntary retention (stop-loss) in support of a contingency operation
Separating from active duty following a voluntary agreement to stay on active duty for less than one year in support of a contingency operation
If you qualify for coverage under TAMP, you will have 180 days of transitional health benefits after the sponsor separates. During this 180-day period, you may enroll in TRICARE Prime if you reside in a TRICARE Prime Service Area, or you will be covered under TRICARE Standard and TRICARE Extra. Rules and processes for these programs will apply. Your costs will be the same as those for active duty family members.
The CHCBP is a premium-based health care program administered by Humana Military Healthcare Services, Inc., (Humana Military). CHCBP offers temporary transitional health coverage (18-36 months) after TRICARE eligibility ends. Service members and certain family members can purchase CHCBP within 60 days of loss of eligibility for either regular TRICARE or TAMP coverage.
CHCBP acts as a bridge between military health benefits and your new civilian health plan. CHCBP benefits are comparable to TRICARE Standard with the same benefits, providers, and program rules. The main difference is that you pay premiums to participate. To purchase CHCBP, you must enroll within 60 days of your loss of TRICARE eligibility. Contact Humana Military for more information about CHCBP by calling 1 (800) 444-5445.
Contact Humana Military or a beneficiary counseling and assistance coordinator (BCAC) to discuss your family’s eligibility for either of these programs. You also can visit the TRICARE Web site for details about either program.
Additionally, some members of the National Guard or Reserve may be eligible for TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) upon separating from active duty. Visit the TRICARE Web site for information.
