New TRICARE Pilot Program Treats Pregnancy as a ‘Qualifying Event’ for Select Enrollment for Five Years

If you or your family are covered by TRICARE, here’s a policy change that’s all about timing and flexibility. This legislation directs the Department of Defense to launch a five-year pilot program that makes pregnancy a “qualifying event” for enrollment in TRICARE Select. Essentially, this means eligible beneficiaries can sign up for or switch to TRICARE Select outside of the usual open enrollment window, simply because they are pregnant. The Secretary of Defense must get this program running within 180 days of the law being enacted, providing a much-needed enrollment loophole for military families facing a significant life change.

The Enrollment Loophole: Why This Matters

Normally, enrolling in health insurance—even TRICARE—is restricted to specific times of the year or major life changes like marriage, divorce, or losing other coverage. Think of it like trying to switch phone plans; you usually have to wait until your contract is up. For military families, waiting for the next open enrollment period when a pregnancy is already underway can create unnecessary stress and potential gaps in coverage tailored to maternity needs.

This pilot program cuts through that red tape. By defining pregnancy as a qualifying event, it allows eligible service members or their dependents to immediately access the Select plan, which is often preferred for its flexibility in choosing providers. For example, if a dependent spouse was initially enrolled in a different plan and discovers they are pregnant, this bill allows them to switch to Select right away to secure the best coverage options for prenatal care and delivery, rather than scrambling or waiting months for the standard enrollment window.

Who Benefits and For How Long?

The beneficiaries here are straightforward: anyone already eligible for TRICARE Select coverage who becomes pregnant. This includes active-duty family members, retirees, and certain others. The change is voluntary; no one is forced to switch, but the option is there for those who need it. This focus on flexibility acknowledges the reality that family planning doesn't always align with the military's administrative calendar.

However, it’s important to note the five-year clock. This is a pilot program, meaning the benefit is temporary unless Congress decides to make it permanent later. For those planning families, this means the current window of opportunity is set to close after five years. The Department of Defense is required to report back to Congress annually with detailed data on how many people used this new provision and why, which suggests they’re serious about studying whether this should become standard policy. These reports will track exactly who is making these enrollment changes—whether it’s a service member returning to active duty, separating, or just a dependent using the pregnancy provision—ensuring the data collected is specific and useful for future policy decisions.