You should register your newborn or adopted child in DEERS as soon as possible. To register your child in DEERS, you need only a certificate of live birth or adoption. The document does not need to be a certified copy of the official birth certificate. It can be a certificate of live birth authenticated by either the attending physician or other responsible party from the hospital. Note: Registration in DEERS is a separate step from enrolling in Prime.

Children are covered as TRICARE Prime beneficiaries for 60 days after birth as long as one other family member is enrolled in TRICARE Prime. If you wish to keep your child enrolled in TRICARE Prime, you must submit an enrollment application to Humana Military within 60 days of birth or adoption for continuous Prime coverage.

On day 61, if you have not enrolled the child in TRICARE Prime, he or she will be covered automatically under TRICARE Standard and TRICARE Extra until 365 days after the child’s birth or adoption. On day 366, if the child is not registered in DEERS, DEERS will show “loss of eligibility,” and he or she will no longer be able to receive TRICARE benefits until they are registered in DEERS.