How To Find Health Insurance for Veterans and Retired Military Members

Most active-duty military members have access to generally free health coverage, but health insurance for veterans and retired military members may be more complicated. By knowing your options and the various programs that can extend your TRICARE or equivalent coverage once you leave service, you can reduce the headache of ensuring you retain low-cost medical coverage while transitioning to civilian life.

Keep reading to learn more about health insurance options for active-duty military members and veterans.

On This Page

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  What Type of Insurance Is Provided for Active Military Members?

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  What Happens to My Health Insurance After Retiring From Active Duty?

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  Health Insurance Options After Your Military Enlistment Ends

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  FAQs

What Type of Insurance Is Provided for Active Military Members?

Active-duty military members have access to TRICARE, a series of health insurance programs operated by the U.S. Department of Defense. TRICARE uses a combination of military hospitals and clinics alongside civilian networks of authorized providers, which can vary by location.^[1]

While there are multiple TRICARE plans, active-duty military members must enroll in TRICARE Prime or one of its remote or overseas options, depending on their location and proximity to a military hospital or clinic. While some TRICARE plans may have costs, TRICARE Prime has no out-of-pocket expenses, enrollment fees, point-of-service fees or copayments for active-duty members.^[2] Civilian dental care is also covered for active-duty service members.^[3]

Service members may also be eligible for Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI), which offers low-cost term life insurance coverage. Eligible individuals can receive coverage up to $500,000 in $50,000 increments. Currently, the premium rate is $0.05 per $1,000 of coverage, plus $1 for Traumatic Injury Protection, regardless of the coverage amount.^[4]

SGLI coverage extends up to 120 days after leaving military service for most members, while those who are totally disabled can extend coverage for up to two years after separation.^[4]

Additionally, reserve members who don’t normally qualify for full-time SGLI coverage can enroll in part-time coverage.^[4]

Are VA Benefits the Same as TRICARE?

While there is significant overlap between VA health benefits and those offered by TRICARE — including outpatient, inpatient and preventive services — they are not identical.^[5] In general, TRICARE uses a combination of military and civilian hospitals and clinics, whereas VA benefits are typically limited to VA-run facilities. In some cases, VA beneficiaries may be eligible to seek community care from an outside facility depending on their location and the medical service required.^[6][7]

Costs may also differ between VA-covered services and TRICARE. For example, TRICARE Prime has no fees or copayments for medical services, but those with VA benefits may need to pay a copayment for some care. However, services related to a service-connected injury or illness may be fully covered under VA benefits.^[8]

What Happens to My Health Insurance After Retiring From Active Duty?

After you retire from active service, you’ll lose your existing TRICARE coverage and will need to enroll in a new health care plan.^[9] We’ll discuss some options available to retiring military members for continuing their health insurance coverage later.

Am I Still Eligible for TRICARE After I Retire From the Military?

You’ll still be eligible for coverage through a TRICARE plan after retiring from the military, provided you remain eligible and follow the enrollment process. You must enroll in a qualifying TRICARE plan within 90 days of retiring. If you fail to do so, you may still have the option to request retroactive enrollment for up to 12 months following your retirement date. However, doing so will require you to pay any enrollment fees.^[10]

If you do not enroll by the end of your retroactive enrollment period, you can still enroll in a TRICARE plan but must wait until you experience a qualifying life event or TRICARE Open Season, which is similar to the Open Enrollment Period for traditional health care coverage. TRICARE Open Season runs from Nov. 10 to Dec. 9 as of 2025. If you fail to reestablish your TRICARE coverage, you may still receive medical services at military hospitals or clinics if space is available.^[10][11]

Health Insurance Options After Your Military Enlistment Ends

Below, we’ll cover some health insurance options available to military service members after they leave the service, whether through retirement or separation.

TRICARE for Retired Military Members

Retired military service members are still eligible for TRICARE, provided they enroll within the timeframe after their retirement. However, after retirement, TRICARE members must pay for certain care costs and may lose access to services they received while covered under TRICARE as active-duty service members, such as those through the Extended Care Health Option.^[10]

You’ll likely qualify for TRICARE for Life, a Medicare wraparound available for those eligible for TRICARE who also qualify for Medicare and pay for Part B. Enrollment is automatic for those who qualify, and it splits payments between Medicare and TRICARE coverage, helping to reduce out-of-pocket medical costs.^[12]

Keep in mind that TRICARE after you leave active duty is only available for those who retire. If you separate before your retirement date, you may lose eligibility for a TRICARE health plan.^[13][14]

Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP)

Those who separate from active military service before retirement will lose TRICARE coverage, but can enroll in the Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) to help them retain health care benefits for up to 180 days after their TRICARE benefits end — generally right before midnight on their last day of duty.^[13][15]

TAMP is designed to help those separating from service, or qualifying for other eligible reasons, transition into a civilian health plan. Additionally, TAMP doesn’t require any premium payments and functions similarly to TRICARE health plans for its duration.^[15]

Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP)

If you’ve separated from military service, you may also have the option to enroll in the Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP). CHCBP coverage is available for 18 months following either the end of your TRICARE coverage or the end of TAMP coverage.^[16]

This health insurance program provides minimum essential coverage as defined by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and is premium-based, so you’ll need to pay a monthly premium of around $616.33. Coverage is otherwise identical to TRICARE Select, including prescription benefits, and works similarly to a PPO. This means you’ll likely need to pay a copay and cost-sharing percentage for each doctor visit.^[17][18]

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Veterans Affairs (VA) health benefits are available to eligible service members, including those who are no longer on active duty. These benefits cover preventive care, inpatient hospital services, urgent and emergency care, and other services, such as mental health care. VA health benefits are typically provided at VA facilities, but exceptions can be made for community care depending on the service needed and the location of the nearest VA facility.^[5][6][19]

To be eligible for VA health benefits, you must have served for 24 consecutive months or have been discharged for a disability caused or worsened by active-duty service. Those discharged for hardship or who served before Sep. 7, 1980, also qualify for VA health benefits. Individuals who received an other-than-honorable discharge are generally excluded from VA coverage, but eligibility may be determined on a case-by-case basis by the VA.^[19][20]

While there is no enrollment fee or premium cost for VA health coverage, you may need to pay a copay based on your priority group, income and whether you have a service-connected disability.^[21]

Health Insurance Marketplace

You can enroll in health insurance through a Marketplace Health Plan. Losing your TRICARE coverage, either through retirement or separation, will typically qualify as a special enrollment period, allowing you to enroll in a plan outside of the traditional Open Enrollment Period. Try to shop around and get quotes from three to five different insurance companies to compare benefits and premium costs.

Insurance Through Your or Your Spouse's Employer

If your employer offers health insurance, or you qualify for coverage through your spouse's employer, you might be able to enroll in coverage that way. Be sure to check if there are any cost increases when enrolling in your spouse’s health care coverage, as higher monthly payments could make other options more cost-effective.