All TRICARE Prime enrollees are required to pay annual enrollment fees, except: Active duty service members; Active duty family members; Transitional survivors; Beneficiaries Under Age 65 with Medicare Parts A and B

New TRICARE Prime enrollment fees for uniformed service retirees and their families will begin on October 1, 2012. Retirees who were enrolled before October 1, 2011 will see a more significant increase since their enrollment fee remained at the 2011-levels of $230 and $460 per year when the fees increased last year.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year (FY) 2012 allows for the annual increase of TRICARE Prime enrollment fees for most retired beneficiaries based on the annual cost of living adjustment. Exceptions to annual increases are for survivors of active duty deceased sponsors and medically-retired service members and their dependents (see "Annual Increases" below for more information).

Here's How the Increase Will Affect You

What you Pay Now

Individual: $230 per year
Family: $460 per year

Beginning October 1, 2012

Individual: $269.28 per year
Family: $538.56 per year

More information is available at
http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/ProfileFilter.do;jsessionid=QNGXJ17YhQGd912RkBhbn1XNdG310lWpwnRvq4R1QxvT74phv3hv!-440469877?puri=%2Fhome%2FCosts%2FHealthPlanCosts%2FTRICAREPrimeOptions%2FEnrollmentFees

I don't mind this modest increase at all. The one I really can't stand is the tier system proposal based on retirement income. I've searched and search and I can't find a single insurance provider that charges enrollment fees based on income level (with no change in benefits). Maybe its considered a tax instead of a fee

I make that a 17% increase (if my math is correct) for those of us enrolled prior to 2011. Not horrendous considering it is the first increase in the 20+ years I have been enrolled. Much easier to take than the earlier plans that would have doubled or tripled the cost over three years. I agree that it does seem unfair to charge some more for the same coverage because of their income, but it follows all of the other "means based" fees/taxes that our representatives continue to vote for. I'm sure that we could have quite a heated discussion regarding all of this, but this is not the forum for it.

Jerry