TRICARE Explained: Prime vs. Select
Updated July 2026
TRICARE is the military health care program for service members, retirees, and their families. The two main plans — Prime and Select — work very differently. Here is how to tell them apart and pick the right one.
TRICARE Prime — managed care
Prime works like an HMO. You are assigned a Primary Care Manager (PCM) who handles your care and gives referrals to see specialists. It has the lowest out-of-pocket costs and is free for active-duty members and their families, but you have less freedom to pick providers and generally need referrals.
TRICARE Select — more freedom
Select works like a PPO. You can see any TRICARE-authorized provider without a referral, giving you more choice and flexibility. In exchange you pay cost-shares (and, for retirees, an annual enrollment fee). It is a good fit if you want to choose your own doctors or live far from a military treatment facility.
Costs: active duty vs. retirees
Active-duty families pay little to nothing on Prime. Retirees and their families pay annual enrollment fees and cost-shares on both plans, with Select generally costing more per visit but offering more flexibility. Exact fees are set each year.
Guard & Reserve: TRICARE Reserve Select
Drilling Selected Reserve members who are not on active-duty orders can buy TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) — a low-cost, premium-based plan that works much like TRICARE Select, for the member and family. You must not be eligible for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program, and Individual Ready Reserve members generally do not qualify. When you are activated on orders of more than 30 days, you and your family instead become eligible for active-duty TRICARE (often Prime).
Retired Reserve members in the "gray area" (retired but not yet drawing pay, usually before age 60) can buy TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR) to bridge the gap.
Dental, vision, and related coverage
Routine dental is separate: active-duty families use the TRICARE Dental Program, and retirees use FEDVIP. Pharmacy is covered through TRICARE with the lowest cost at military pharmacies. See the healthcare benefits for the full picture, including TRICARE For Life for Medicare-eligible retirees.
How to choose
Pick Prime if you want the lowest cost and do not mind referrals and an assigned PCM (and you live near a military treatment facility). Pick Select if you value choosing your own providers and skipping referrals, and are willing to pay more per visit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between TRICARE Prime and Select?
Prime is a managed-care (HMO-style) plan with an assigned primary care manager and referrals, at the lowest cost. Select is a preferred-provider (PPO-style) plan that lets you see any authorized provider without referrals, in exchange for cost-shares.
Is TRICARE free for active duty families?
Active-duty service members pay nothing for their own care, and their families pay little to nothing under TRICARE Prime. Retirees and their families pay enrollment fees and cost-shares on both Prime and Select.
Do you need a referral with TRICARE Select?
No. TRICARE Select lets you see any TRICARE-authorized provider without a referral, which is the main advantage over Prime. Some services may still require pre-authorization.
Which TRICARE plan is cheaper?
TRICARE Prime generally has the lowest out-of-pocket costs, especially for active-duty families. Select usually costs more per visit but gives you more freedom to choose providers.
What health coverage do Guard and Reserve members get?
Drilling Selected Reserve members can buy TRICARE Reserve Select, a low-cost premium plan similar to TRICARE Select, when not on active orders. Activated for more than 30 days, they and their families get active-duty TRICARE. Gray-area retired reservists can buy TRICARE Retired Reserve until they reach age 60.
Related benefits
- TRICARE Prime (Active Duty)
- TRICARE Select
- TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS)
- TRICARE For Life (TFL)
- TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) & FEDVIP Dental/Vision