Getting a Divorce or Annulment

Event:

Qualifying Life Event?

Getting a Divorce or an Annulment

Yes.

The sponsor and eligible children have 90 days after a divorce or annulment to change your TRICARE health plan.

Are you getting a divorce or an annulment? The sponsor must update the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System with a certified copy of the divorce or annulment decree as soon as possible.

Eligibility for TRICARE:

  • Won't change for the sponsor
  • Won't change for biological children and adopted children

TRICARE won't pay for services or supplies provided to anyone who isn't eligible for TRICARE. If a former spouse loses eligibility in a divorce and continues to get care, TRICARE can recoup those payments. Learn more about recoupment of overpayments.

Former Spouses

Former spouse's benefits will end at 12:01 a.m. on the day of the divorce or annulment. You may remain eligible for TRICARE if you meet certain requirements. Learn more at: 

Former Spouses

If former spouses meet these requirements they:

  • Remain eligible for TRICARE
  • Will use their own name and health benefit number to get care and file claims
  • Won't use your name and number in DEERS

Remarrying

What happens if I get remarried?

  • If you're eligible for TRICARE after your divorce, you'll lose eligibility for TRICARE if you remarry.
  • You'll be eligible for TRICARE again if you marry another active duty or retired service member.

Children

  • A sponsor’s biological and adopted children stay eligible for TRICARE until they age out. Learn more.
  • To be TRICARE-eligible, your child must be a dependent. This means they aren’t married or serving on active duty.
  • After your child ages out, they can choose to purchase TRICARE Young Adult until they turn 26.
  • A sponsor’s stepchildren who weren’t adopted by the sponsor will lose TRICARE-eligibility.

What if my child doesn’t live with me?

  • Children living separately from the sponsor (with the former spouse or other guardian) can enroll in TRICARE Prime using the split enrollment feature.

Loss of Eligibility

When you lose TRICARE, you may:

Using TRICARE with Other Health InsuranceHealth insurance you have in addition to TRICARE, such as Medicare or an employer-sponsored health insurance. TRICARE supplements don’t qualify as "other health insurance."

TRICARE is always the second payer to any OHI plan. After a divorce or annulment, if your child has health insurance from the non-uniformed service parent, then TRICARE can still act as a second payer. If your child visits the uniformed service member, TRICARE is still the second payer, so make sure your child has the OHI information to get care away from home. View custody scenarios.

Review your TRICARE and OHI options carefully, to ensure you have the best coverage for your child. Learn more about using TRICARE with OHI.

 

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Last Updated 4/11/2025