Your child\u2019s TRICARE plan and school\u2019s location may affect how he or she gets care when away at college. Moving to a new location may also affect your child\u2019s TRICARE plan options. These things are especially true if your child has a TRICARE Prime plan<\/p>\n
With TRICARE Prime, you may pay point-of-service fees<\/a> if your child gets nonemergency care without a referral<\/a> from their primary care manager. This may include care your child gets at the college\u2019s student health center. There are a few ways to change your child\u2019s TRICARE plan:<\/p>\n You can check the Plan Finder to see which TRICARE plans may be available to your child. Most U.S. colleges require full-time students to have health insurance. In general, TRICARE health plans meet this requirement. However, be sure to check with your child\u2019s college to confirm its requirements. The college may also require your child to get a physical exam<\/a>. TRICARE covers physicals when they\u2019re required for school enrollment. (Keep in mind that TRICARE doesn\u2019t cover sports physicals.)<\/p>\n Being enrolled in college full-time may allow your child to stay enrolled in a TRICARE health plan until he or she graduates or turns age 23\u2014whichever comes first. (Otherwise, eligibility for \u201cregular\u201d TRICARE coverage will end at age 21.)<\/p>\n Before your child turns 21, you\u2019ll need to go to your local Uniformed Services ID card office<\/a> to show that your child:<\/p>\n Go to milConnect<\/a> to learn more about these requirements and <a href="https:\/\/milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil\/milconnect\/public\/faq\/Life_Events-Children<\/a>” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>staying eligible for TRICARE as a full-time student<\/a>. After losing eligibility for TRICARE or TYA, your child may be eligible to buy Continued Health Care<\/a> Benefit Program coverage<\/p>\n TYA and CHCBP might not be your child\u2019s only health coverage options when losing eligibility for TRICARE. For example, your child may be able to buy a health plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace<\/p>\n By knowing how your child\u2019s health coverage options may change during college and after graduation, you can help your child have the health coverage that meets his or her needs<\/p>\n
\nIf your child moves far away from home, you may want to consider TRICARE Select<\/a>. Your child can visit anyTRICARE-authorized providerwhile at school without a referral. He or she will also have more flexibility for getting care when home during school breaks.<\/p>\n\n
\nIs your child enrolled in TRICARE Reserve Select or TRICARE Retired Reserve? You don\u2019t need to make changes to their plan. With these plans, your child can visit any TRICARE-authorized provider without a referral<\/p>\n2. The college\u2019s requirements<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nThe college will have a deadline for submitting proof of TRICARE coverage<\/a> or other health coverage each year. If you don\u2019t do this by the deadline, your student may be required to buy the school\u2019s health insurance plan. If your child is enrolled in the school\u2019s health insurance plan, this is considered other health insurance<\/a>. You must report OHI to TRICARE<\/a>.<\/p>\n3. Staying eligible for TRICARE<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\nAfter your child\u2019s eligibility for \u201cregular\u201d TRICARE coverage ends, your child may be able to buy TRICARE Young Adult<\/a> coverage until age 26. Eligibility for TYA is based on several factors, as outlined in the TRICARE Young Adult Fact Sheet<\/a><\/em>. These factors include your child\u2019s marital status and eligibility for employer-sponsored health insurance. Children who are eligible can buy TYA at any time. TRICARE Open Season and TRICARE Qualifying Life Events don\u2019t apply to TYA.<\/p>\n
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