Priority 1: Active-duty service members;
Priority 2: Active-duty family members who are enrolled in Tricare Prime;
Priority 3: Retirees, their family members and survivors who are enrolled in Tricare Prime;
Priority 4: Active-duty family members who are not enrolled in Tricare Prime;
Priority 5: All other eligible persons.
The priority is given to active duty dependents to help them obtain care easily, and thus make it
possible for active duty members to perform their military service without worrying about health care
for their dependents.
This is particularly important for active duty personnel who may be assigned overseas or aboard
ship and separated from their dependents. As retirees are not subject to such imposed separations,
they are considered to be in a better position to see that their dependents receive care, if care
cannot be provided in a military facility. Thus, the role of health care delivery recognizes the
unique needs of the military mission. The role of health care in the military is qualitatively different,
and, therefore, not necessarily comparable to the civilian sector.
The benefits available to service members or retirees, which require comparatively little or no
contributions from the beneficiaries themselves, are considered by some to be a more generous benefit
package than is available to civil servants or to most people in the private sector. Retirees may
also be eligible to receive medical care at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility.