Military Families Speak Out on the High Cost of TRICARE Young Adult
Milestones are a part of the military family journey. We see service member promotions, military spouse achievements, and kindergarten and high school graduations—and for those with young adult dependents, we may also see college graduation! What should be a time of joy can quickly shift to concern when families realize that health coverage for their graduates may be interrupted.
Regular TRICARE plans cover young adult dependents only until age 21 or up to age 23 if they’re enrolled in college, with coverage ending on their graduation date. After age 23 and through age 26, maintaining TRICARE coverage beyond that point requires families to enroll their young adult dependent into TRICARE Young Adult (TYA), a premium-based health plan.
However, costs for TYA have skyrocketed over the last decade. Similar to regular TRICARE coverage, there are two plan options: TYA Prime and TYA Select. In 2025, TYA Select carries a premium of $337 per month, while TYA Prime’s monthly premium is currently $727 a month per young adult dependent—a staggering 250% increase since 2015!
The cost of TYA premiums is per dependent, which many families feel is unsustainable. One Air Force retiree detailed this exact scenario and said, “Both of our kids are in college. They can’t afford $337/month each. But because they both work to help pay for school, they don’t qualify for assistance like ‘BadgerCare’ [Wisconsin Medicaid]”.
Military Families Feel Financial Burden
Military families from every branch have shared their growing concerns about the rising financial burden of maintaining healthcare coverage for their young adult dependents. Their stories reflect deep frustration and a strong sense of unfairness—especially when compared to civilian families, whose children can stay on health plans until age 26 without any additional cost.
Many families have shared that the high cost of TRICARE Young Adult forces them into a difficult waiting game—hoping their child will become eligible for their own employer-based insurance. In the meantime, they’re left straining their own finances or scrambling to find alternative coverage.
“My son was on the five-year plan for college and turned 23 in December before graduating in May last year. We had to pick up TYA for the remaining six months and then more while he waited for job-based insurance.” — Army spouse
“We had to switch off TRICARE to private insurance to keep our son on (who was still in college for his master’s degree) because he aged out. Now that he’s graduated, he’s still eligible to remain on our private insurance, and we’re keeping him on to give him a little saving money before he starts paying for insurance himself. I’d rather be on TRICARE, but we’ll be in the same boat in 2 years with our youngest. —Army spouse
Their message is clear: TRICARE’s age requirements for coverage is an undue burden for military families.
A Cost Too High
TRICARE Young Adult isn’t just expensive—it’s out of reach for many.
“It’s a hardship on the parents who have to pay out of pocket.” — Marine spouse
“We need something better than TYA. Paying almost $800/month per child is not helpful.” — Military retiree
“Our son just graduated and is a full-time graduate student. We had to find other coverage because he’ll be 23 soon, and we can’t afford TRICARE prices.” — Army spouse
These are the lived experiences of families who have already sacrificed so much in service. Each story is a stark reminder that military families deserve better and, at the very least, have better plan options.
We’re Amplifying These Voices on Capitol Hill
NMFA continues to support legislation that would align TRICARE coverage with civilian plans and extend dependent coverage until age 26 without additional costs.
This isn’t just about policy—it’s about fairness, stability, and peace of mind for families who have earned it.
We’ve shared these stories in Congressional briefings, through advocacy campaigns, and in direct conversations with lawmakers. But your voices are our most powerful tool.
It’s time for TRICARE to align with civilian healthcare standards by extending coverage for young adult dependents through age 26. Our military-connected families should not be forced to shoulder additional healthcare costs simply because of their service. They deserve the same peace of mind and support afforded to their civilian peers.
Together we’re stronger®.
By: Angela Sablan Tenorio, Content Manager
