Getting TRICARE for Your Child
You can get TRICARE for your child in two steps:
- Register your newborn or adopted child in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). You must enroll in DEERS for TRICARE coverage.
- Choose a TRICARE health plan and enroll your child if necessary.
You don't need a Social Security number to register your child in DEERS. Once you have one, update DEERS with that number. >>Learn More
Health Plan Options
Your newborn or adopted child will have the same health plan options that you have.
| If You're Using ... |
Then Your Child is ... |
| TRICARE Standard and Extra |
- Automatically covered by TRICARE Standard and Extra
- You can enroll your child in TRICARE Prime if you live in a Prime Service Area
|
| TRICARE Prime |
- Covered by TRICARE Prime for the first 60 days
- You must enroll your child in TRICARE Prime within the first 60 days or the coverage will revert to TRICARE Standard and Extra.
|
| TRICARE Prime Remote |
- Covered by TRICARE Prime Remote for the first 60 days
- You must enroll your child in TRICARE Prime Remote within the first 60 days or the coverage will revert to TRICARE Standard and Extra.
|
| TRICARE Prime Overseas |
- Covered by TRICARE Prime Overseas for the first 120 days
- You must enroll your child in TRICARE Prime Overseas within those first 120 days or the coverage will revert to TRICARE Standard Overseas
|
| TRICARE Prime Remote Overseas |
- Covered by TRICARE Prime Overseas for the first 120 days
- You must enroll your child in TRICARE Prime Remote Overseas within those first 120 days or the coverage will revert to TRICARE Standard Overseas
|
| TRICARE Reserve Select |
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| TRICARE Retired Reserve |
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You need to register your child in DEERS within one year (365 days) of his or her birth or adoption. On day 366, your child won’t be able to receive benefits until you register them in DEERS.