TRICARE Retired Reserve

TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR), which is expected to begin this fall, will allow qualified members of the Retired Reserve and survivors to purchase TRICARE Standard coverage by paying monthly premiums.

TRR Monthly Premiums

The statute that established TRR requires that qualified retired reservists pay premiums equal to the full cost of the coverage without government subsidy. Rates will be adjusted annually.

TRR 2010 Premium Rates	Type of Coverage	TRR 2011 Premium Rates
Member-only	$388.31/mo  $4,659.72/yr	$408.01/mo  $4,896.12/y
Member-and-Family	$976.41/mo $11,716.92/yr	$1,020.05/mo $12,240.60/yr

Premiums published in the interim final rule are based on the actual costs during calendar years 2007 and 2008 for providing benefits to the population of retired members and their family members in the same age categories as the Retired Reserve population. Historical costs were trended forward to 2010 and a two percent adjustment was applied to cover overhead costs for government administration of the program. Premiums for 2011 are based on actual costs for 2008 and 2009.

Status of Program Launch

The interim final rule was published on August 6, 2010 with an immediate effective date. Program launch is expected as early as September 2010. At that time, instructions about how to qualify for and purchase TRR coverage will become available on the TRICARE Website. If purchased, TRR coverage is expected to go into effect as early as October 1, 2010. 
A 60-day comment period will allow for public input before the final rule is issued. Those interested may submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal or by mail to:

Federal Docket Management System Office 
1160 Defense Pentagon 
Washington, DC 20301-1160

Next Steps for Interested Beneficiaries

Retired National Guard or Reserve members who may want to purchase TRR coverage should make sure their eligibility information is correct in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). 
To get more information about TRR as it becomes available, sign up to receive benefit updates via e-mail. Be sure to sign up as a "Retired National Guard or Reserve Member."

TRICARE Retired Reserve Brochure

This information was provided by www.tricare.mil