Survivors
TRICARE continues to provide coverage for family members when a sponsor dies. Family member health plan options and costs will vary based on:
- The sponsor's military status when he/she dies
- If the surviving family member is a spouse or child
The scenarios below provide an overview of survivor coverage. Spouses remain eligible unless they remarry.
Do I need to report the death of my sponsor or family members to the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System(DEERS) A database of information on uniformed services members (sponsors), U.S.-sponsored foreign military, DoD and uniformed services civilians, other personnel as directed by the DoD, and their family members. You need to register in DEERS to get TRICARE.?
You only have to report the death to the pharmacy contractor, Express Scripts. For medical and dental care, the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) gets information from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the services.
It may take some time for DMDC to get the information from the SSA. If you prefer, you may notify DMDC of the death by:
- Visiting a local ID card office with a copy of the death certificate;
- Faxing a copy of the death certificate to 1-831-655-8317; or
- Mailing a copy of the death certificate to:
Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office
400 Gigling Road
Seaside, CA 93955-6771
If you have questions, call DMDC at 1-800-538-9552. Visit MilConnect to learn more.
Not sure if your sponsor was on active duty when he/she died?
Contact a casualty assistance officer or your sponsor’s unit/service personnel office.