TRICARE open season runs November 9 to December 8, and it's the one time each year a retiree can switch between Prime and Select without a life event. Most comparisons put the two enrollment fees side by side and stop there. That leaves out a lot. What you pay at the doctor, the ER and the hospital can flip the answer.
So I took TRICARE's 2027 retiree costs and ran them through a year of care, from checkups only to a hospital stay, for one person and for a family, in Group A and in Group B. Then I found the visit count where Prime catches up to Select. There's an estimator further down if you want to price your own year.
The short answer
- Group B. Prime costs less in every year I tested. A family saves $273.96 in fees before anyone sees a doctor, and Prime's copays are lower too.
- Group A, just you. Select costs less until about 8 primary care visits or 10 specialist visits in a year. Depending on what your doctors charge, that point can fall anywhere from 5 to 15 visits.
- Group A, a family. Select stays ahead until about 18 primary care visits or 19 specialist visits across the family, and anywhere from 12 to 30.
- Group A, a hospital stay of a few nights. Prime wins once a stay runs 2 nights for one person or 3 for a family, even before the doctors' bills. A 3-night stay alone costs a Group A Select enrollee $750, against $205 on Prime.
Table of Contents
First, Which Group You're In
Your costs depend on when the sponsor first joined, not when they retired. If the sponsor's first enlistment or appointment was before January 1, 2018, you're in Group A. On or after that date, you're in Group B (32 CFR 199.17).
Nearly everyone retiring after 20 years is in Group A, because they joined well before 2018. A Group B retiree today is usually someone medically retired after joining in 2018 or later, or that member's family or survivors. If you aren't sure which group you're in, your regional contractor can tell you.
What Each Plan Costs Retirees in 2027
TRICARE posted these on its costs page on November 5, 2026. They're what you pay a TRICARE network provider. Prime's copays are the same in both groups.
| Retirees, 2027 | Group A Prime | Group A Select | Group B Prime | Group B Select |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment fee, just you | $396 | $193.92 | $480 | $616.92 |
| Enrollment fee, family | $792.96 | $388.92 | $960 | $1,233.96 |
| Deductible, just you | $0 | $150 | $0 | $205 |
| Deductible, family | $0 | $300 | $0 | $411 |
| Catastrophic cap, per family | $3,000 | $4,538 | $4,802 | $4,802 |
| Checkups and screenings | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Primary care visit | $27 | $40 | $27 | $34 |
| Specialist visit | $41 | $52 | $41 | $54 |
| Urgent care | $41 | $40 | $41 | $54 |
| Emergency room | $82 | $143 | $82 | $109 |
| Outpatient surgery | $82 | 20% of the allowed charge | $82 | $130 |
| Hospital stay | $205 per admission | $250 a day, or 25% of the hospital's charge if less, plus 20% of the doctors' separate bills | $205 per admission | $240 per admission |
Three lines in that table do most of the work.
- Select has a deductible and Prime doesn't. Select's deductible applies to outpatient care, which means office visits, urgent care, the ER and outpatient surgery. Until it's paid, you pay TRICARE's full allowed rate for a visit instead of the copay. Checkups and screenings are free even before it's paid, and a hospital stay isn't subject to it (32 CFR 199.4 and 199.17).
- A Group A Select hospital stay is charged by the day. Prime charges a flat amount per admission. Group A Select charges its daily rate for every day but the day you go home, so in effect by the night, and then adds 20% of what the surgeon, the anesthesiologist and the other doctors bill on their own.
- Group A outpatient surgery on Select is a percentage. Prime is a flat $82. On Select you pay a share of the allowed charge, so the bigger the procedure, the bigger your bill.
The catastrophic cap is the most a family pays in a year for covered care, and the enrollment fee counts toward it (TRICARE). It's $3,000 on Group A Prime and $4,538 on Group A Select, and both Group B plans cap at $4,802. The catastrophic cap guide goes through how each one is set.
Your Enrollment Fee Comes Out of Your Retired Pay
These tables tell you what TRICARE costs. The free calculator tells you what you keep each month after federal and state tax, with your VA pay added in, and the civilian salary it would take to match it. Put your TRICARE fee in your monthly expenses and you'll see the real gap. About a minute, free, no account, nothing saved.
See My Monthly Take-Home →How I Priced a Year of Care
For each plan I added up the enrollment fee, the deductible and the copays, and stopped at the cap. A few assumptions sit under every number below.
- Every visit is with a network provider, and every Prime specialist visit has the referral Prime needs.
- Before the Select deductible is paid, a visit costs TRICARE's allowed rate for it. TRICARE pays doctors by Medicare's rules where it can (10 U.S.C. 1079(h)), so I used Medicare's 2026 national rates, $95.19 for a routine office visit and $135.61 for a longer one, which I used for specialist and urgent care visits (CMS). Rates vary by area, and network doctors often agree to less.
- An ER visit's allowed charge is well above any deductible, so an ER trip pays whatever's left of the deductible and then the copay. For outpatient surgery I used a procedure TRICARE allows $2,000 for.
- A family's visits count against the family deductible together, as if they're spread across the family.
- A Group A Select hospital stay is priced at the daily rate only. I left out the 20% of the doctors' bills because it depends on who treats you, so Select's real cost for a stay is higher than these tables show.
- Prescriptions from a military pharmacy, a network pharmacy or home delivery cost the same on both plans, so they're left out.
Then I reran every year with all of those rates cut in half and then doubled. Where that changes the winner, the table says close and leaves the green off, because the answer then comes down to what your doctors charge.
Group A, Year by Year
Here's what each plan costs for the whole year, enrollment fee included. The visit counts are for everyone covered, so the family column is the same number of visits spread across the family.
| Group A, 2027 | Just you, Prime | Just you, Select | Family, Prime | Family, Select |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Checkups and screenings only | $396 | $193.92 | $792.96 | $388.92 |
| 2 primary care visits | $450 | $383.92 | $846.96 | $579.30 |
| 4 primary care and 2 specialist visits (close for just you) | $586 | $567.92 | $982.96 | $832.92 |
| 6 primary care and 6 specialist visits (close for just you) | $804 | $855.92 | $1,200.96 | $1,120.92 |
| 2 primary care visits and an ER trip (close for just you) | $532 | $526.92 | $928.96 | $831.92 |
| 2 primary care, 2 specialist and a 3-night hospital stay | $737 | $1,237.92 | $1,133.96 | $1,516.91 |
| 2 primary care, 2 specialist and an outpatient surgery (close for just you and family) | $614 | $887.92 | $1,010.96 | $1,166.91 |
A quiet year goes to Select. If nobody needs more than checkups, Select saves $202.08 for one person and $404.04 for a family. That's the fee difference and nothing else, since checkups cost nothing on either plan.
Regular visits wear the lead down. Once the deductible is paid, each primary care visit costs $13 more on Select and each specialist visit $11 more. The deductible eats into the lead too, because the first visits cost the full allowed rate instead of a copay. For one person, Prime catches up at about 8 primary care visits or 10 specialist visits in a year. For a family it takes about 18 primary care visits or 19 specialist visits. Pricier doctors move that point earlier. The deductible gets used up in fewer visits, so more of your visits carry a Select copay on top of it.
Urgent care is the odd one out. It's $40 on Select and $41 on Prime, so once the deductible is paid it's the one visit that costs a little less on Select.
An ER trip is close for one person. The ER copay is $61 more on Select, and on top of a full deductible that about cancels what one person saves on the fee. For a family, Select still comes out ahead.
A hospital stay of a few nights settles it. On its own, a stay tips the year to Prime at 2 nights for one person and 3 for a family. A 3-night stay costs $750 on Select before the doctors' bills, against $205 on Prime. That's $545 more, which is more than Select saved on fees even for a family, and the doctors' bills only add to it. If someone in your house has a hospital stay planned for 2027, a baby on the way included, Prime is the safer pick in Group A.
Outpatient surgery depends on the size of it. Select's share of a procedure TRICARE allows $2,000 for is $400, against $82 on Prime. A bigger procedure costs more on Select, and with a small one the rest of your year decides it, which is why both surgery rows say close.
The caps matter for the worst years. A Group A family on Prime can't pay more than $3,000, and on Select the limit is $4,538. A long hospital stay can take a Select family all the way to that cap while Prime charges its fee and one admission, so in a year like that Select can cost a family $3,540.04 more.
Group B Comes Out Ahead on Prime Every Time
| Group B, 2027 | Just you, Prime | Just you, Select | Family, Prime | Family, Select |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Checkups and screenings only | $480 | $616.92 | $960 | $1,233.96 |
| 2 primary care visits | $534 | $807.30 | $1,014 | $1,424.34 |
| 4 primary care and 2 specialist visits | $670 | $997.92 | $1,150 | $1,752.96 |
| 6 primary care and 6 specialist visits | $888 | $1,281.92 | $1,368 | $2,036.96 |
| 2 primary care visits and an ER trip | $616 | $930.92 | $1,096 | $1,753.96 |
| 2 primary care, 2 specialist and a 3-night hospital stay | $821 | $1,169.92 | $1,301 | $1,935.56 |
| 2 primary care, 2 specialist and an outpatient surgery | $698 | $1,059.92 | $1,178 | $1,825.56 |
In Group B, Prime has the lower enrollment fee and no deductible, every visit and hospital stay in the cost table costs less on Prime, and both plans share the same cap. So there's no year where Select costs less. A family pays $273.96 more for Select before anyone sees a doctor, and in a year of regular visits the gap reaches $668.96.
Some Group B families still pick Select, and they pay extra for it on purpose. They want to see any TRICARE-authorized doctor without a referral, or Prime isn't offered where they live.
Medically Retired in Group A
A medically retired sponsor in Group A, their family and survivors pay no enrollment fee for Select, and their Select cap is $3,000, the same as Prime's (TRICARE, 10 U.S.C. 1075(e)). Prime still charges a fee, frozen at the rate in effect when you were classified as medically retired in DEERS and enrolled in Prime, for as long as your Prime enrollment has no break. For someone classified in 2027, that's $792.96 a year for a family.
That puts Select a long way ahead. On a fee frozen at the 2027 rate, Prime never pulls ahead on doctor visits alone. At about 54 specialist visits in a year both plans reach the $3,000 cap and cost the same. A 3-night hospital stay on its own still leaves Select $247.96 ahead, and with a few doctor visits on top of the stay the two plans come out about even. With an older, lower frozen fee Select's lead is smaller, so put your own fee in the estimator below.
Price Your Own Year
Put in the care you expect in 2027 for everyone you'd cover. It uses the same 2027 costs and the same assumptions as the tables above.
Network care only, with referrals for Prime. A Group A Select hospital stay leaves out 20% of the doctors' bills, so its real cost is higher. See what your pension leaves after tax in the free calculator.
Now See the Number It Comes Out Of
A few hundred dollars a year means something different on every pension. The free calculator shows your retired pay after federal and state tax, your VA pay on top, and the civilian salary you'd need to match it. Add the plan you picked to your monthly expenses and it shows what your next job has to cover.
Run My Numbers Free →What the Price Doesn't Show
Cost isn't the whole decision. These are the things that push people toward one plan even when the math points the other way.
- Prime runs through a primary care manager. You need a referral for specialty care. See a specialist without one and Prime pays under point-of-service rules, which is a $300 deductible per person ($600 per family) and then 50% of the allowed charge. None of that counts toward the cap (TRICARE).
- Prime has to be offered where you live. It's offered in Prime Service Areas, and you can check your ZIP code in TRICARE's Plan Finder. Outside one, you can still enroll if you live within 100 miles of a primary care manager and waive the drive time standards, though not online (TRICARE). Retirees overseas can't enroll in Prime Overseas.
- Medicare changes the question. Once someone has Medicare Part A and Part B because of age, they're on TRICARE For Life and can't enroll in Prime. A younger spouse or the kids still pick Prime or Select.
- Select lets you see any TRICARE-authorized provider without a referral, though some care still needs approval first. Going outside the network costs more. You pay 25% of the allowed charge after the deductible, and a provider who doesn't accept TRICARE's rate can bill you up to 15% more on top.
- Prescriptions cost the same on either plan at a military pharmacy, a network pharmacy or home delivery. Those copays stay at the 2026 amounts for 2027. A non-network pharmacy is different, since Prime pays it under point-of-service rules (TRICARE, Federal Register).
How to Switch During Open Season
Open season runs November 9 to December 8, 2026, and a change takes effect January 1, 2027 (TRICARE). If you're happy with your plan, do nothing and it carries into 2027.
- Online in milConnect, under Benefits and then Beneficiary Web Enrollment. You have to live in a Prime Service Area to enroll in Prime online.
- By phone with your regional contractor, Humana Military in the East Region at 800-444-5445 or TriWest in the West Region at 888-874-9378.
- By mail or fax, with the enrollment form.
Miss it and you're on the plan you have until next open season, unless a qualifying life event like a move, a marriage or a new baby opens a window. The open season guide covers the dates, FEDVIP dental and vision, and what else you can change, and the TRICARE after retirement guide covers the rest of your coverage once you're out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TRICARE Prime or Select cheaper for retirees in 2027?
In Group B, Prime never costs more than Select, however much care you use, because it has the lower enrollment fee, no deductible and lower copays. In Group A, Select costs less in a light year, and Prime costs less once your family has a hospital stay of a few nights or a lot of doctor visits.
Does the TRICARE Select deductible apply to doctor visits?
Yes. Select's deductible applies to outpatient care, which includes office visits, urgent care, the ER and outpatient surgery, so you pay TRICARE's allowed rate for those until it's met. Checkups and screenings are free even before it's met, and a hospital stay isn't subject to it. Prime has no deductible unless you get care without a referral under the point-of-service option.
Does the enrollment fee count toward the catastrophic cap?
Yes. Enrollment fees, deductibles, copays and pharmacy copays all count toward the cap, and once your family reaches it you stop paying the enrollment fee for the rest of the year. Point-of-service charges don't count.
Can I switch between Prime and Select outside open season?
Only with a qualifying life event, like a move, a marriage, a divorce or a new baby. A qualifying life event opens a 90-day window to change your plan.
Do prescriptions cost more on TRICARE Select?
Not at a military pharmacy, a network pharmacy or home delivery. Those copays are the same on Prime and Select, and they stay at the 2026 amounts for 2027. At a non-network pharmacy, Prime is the one that costs more, because it pays under point-of-service rules.
Does this apply to retirees on Medicare?
No. Once you have Medicare Part A and Part B because of age, you're covered by TRICARE For Life and can't enroll in Prime. A younger spouse or children can still pick Prime or Select.
What do medically retired Group A retirees pay for TRICARE Select?
Nothing to enroll. A medically retired sponsor in Group A, their family and survivors pay no Select enrollment fee, and their Select cap is $3,000, the same as Prime's.
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Related Articles
- TRICARE and FEDVIP Open Season 2026 for Military Retirees and Their Families
- The TRICARE Catastrophic Cap in 2026 and What It Saves You Over Civilian Insurance
- TRICARE After Retirement, Prime vs Select, Costs and Medicare
- 2027 Military Retirement Pay Increase Chart (3.6% COLA)
This article is for educational purposes. Confirm your group, your costs and whether Prime is offered where you live with TRICARE or your regional contractor before you make a change.