Tricare

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Tricare (styled TRICARE) is a health care program of the United States Department of Defense Military Health System.^[1] Tricare provides civilian health benefits for U.S Armed Forces military personnel, military retirees, and their dependents, including some members of the Reserve Component. Tricare is the civilian care component of the Military Health System, although historically it also included health care delivered in military medical treatment facilities.

The Tricare program is managed by the Defense Health Agency. Before 1 October 2013, it was managed by the Tricare Management Activity under the authority of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs). On that date, it was disestablished and Tricare responsibility was transferred to the newly established Defense Health Agency.^[2]

The Department of Defense operates a health care delivery system that served approximately 9.4 million beneficiaries in 2018. The Department of Defense's unified medical program represents $50.6 billion or 8% of total FY2019 U.S. military spending. With the exception of active duty service members (who are assigned to the Tricare Prime option and pay no out-of-pocket costs for Tricare coverage), Military Health System beneficiaries may have a choice of Tricare plan options depending upon their status (e.g., active duty family member, retiree, reservist, child under age 26 ineligible for family coverage, Medicare-eligible, etc.) and geographic location.^[3]

In December 2024, US President Joe Biden signed into law the yearly comprehensive defence authorisation bill - with a provision that explicitly legally bans gender-affirming healthcare for children and minors within military families under Tricare.^[4][5]