Does the National Guard Get TRICARE?
The question of whether the National Guard receives TRICARE has sparked controversy and confusion. For those who are active-duty military personnel, civilian employees, or veterans of the United States Armed Forces, TRICARE provides medical and dental benefits, among other benefits. To shed light on this mystery, we will delve deeper into the TRICARE system and explore the exclusions and inclusions when it comes to the National Guard.
What is TRICARE?
TRICARE stands for "TRIervices AUTO-CALC (H) Act," initially implemented in 1991 to provide medical and pharmacy benefits to eligible beneficiaries in the United States Armed Forces, including active-duty uniformed service members, reserves, National Guard, family members, and retirees (US Department of Defense, n.d.). The program relies on a network of doctors, hospitals, and suppliers that are authorized to serve TRICARE beneficiaries and charge them discounted rates based on the TRICARE payment rates [1].
Eligibility for TRICARE by Component
Here’s a breakdown of who is eligible for TRICARE coverage, by component:
- Active Duty Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard: All eligible beneficiaries receive TRICARE Standard (a fee-for-service plan) or *TRICARE Prime (a managed care plan) as part of their military basic pay.
- Active Duty Reserves or National Guard: Service members in the Reserves or National Guard eligible for TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS)* receive coverage through a small annual premium. A Note: Only Some National Guard members qualified as full-time, Federal-recognized National Guard active-duty status, known as Title 32, which covers a limited number, and those eligible for retirement. These individuals are permitted to enroll in *TRS and receive TRICARE benefits. Another note: Some National Guardsman might not be federally activated and might not fall under TRICARE TRS coverage. Most importantly: Not all states contribute to TRICARE costs, and some national Guardsmen may not pay anything, but still will be eligible for TRICARE coverage [3]**.
- Retirees, Family Members, Survivors, and Others (Veterans, Cadets, Midshipmen): Eligible beneficiaries aged 65 or older participate in the TRICARE for Life (TPL) program, which picks up where Medicare leaves off [4].
What Does the Table Say?
| Component | Eligible for TRICARE coverage | Remarks | Additional Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Duty | Yes, TRICARE Standard/Prime, paid by the government (1) | Covered in full | Service-connected |
| Act Reserves | YES, TRICARE RESERVE SELECT, paid monthly | Small additional payment (2) | Full-time, paid service (3) or |
| National | YES, Limited Coverage, paid mostly or entirely by the | Small additional payement (4) | Title 32 national guardsmen or Retired with service-connected claim |
| Retires | YES (5) | (TRICARE for life after Medicare) | |
| Family Members | YES | (1) Coverage extended to eligible family |
TRICARE for National Guard Components
Now, let’s return to the main question for which this article was drafted. The National Guard might get TRICARE because the Department of Defense maintains TRICARE coverage benefits, and this coverage relates directly to TRICARE Reserve Select (TR) for full-time guard and those eligible National Guard active-duty units in the Federal-authorized component (Title 32).
For these specific segments of the National Guard to gain access to TRICARE, there are only specific criteria and requirements
- The member must either serve as full-time staff with Federal-recognized titles in Title 32 components. (Some states finance, but it’s hard to get it.)
Additionally, if they are otherwise service-connected or retired because they are in the US Federal government. - When we are looking at state-federally activated for military training or disaster duties
It’s essential when analyzing this question to address TRICARE coverage gaps because, even though individual guard members have different active duties and federal recognition from federal funding sources, national Guard eligibility and TRICARE benefits differ. Even some guardsmen might
It’s worth noting ( A Note.). Not all states might support the cost of participating in TRICARE when an individual guardsman engages with a National Guard to federalized activation for, military training, or
A note is also of vital importance here: Although this may seem like minor variation in eligibility, if someone’s not eligible but needs health insurance, federal employee insurance plans, government sponsored, like the national healthcare service plan, be worth exploring as an effective way to manage healthcare *Health insurance options could depend on specific circumstances so best consult the relevant website (US Department of or an expert for confirmation.
Wrap-Up
It’s important to focus on TRICARE It is important to analyze how eligibility is determined; even for active-duty Reserve components and those in this guard unit who are currently participating in Federal-Title-32 components. Furthermore, eligibility can be achieved, depending on the condition (1).
