Divorce can impact your access to military benefits, including TRICARE. If you’re a former spouse of a military service member, knowing how these benefits work after divorce helps you plan and secure healthcare coverage. Your eligibility for TRICARE depends on specific factors.
TRICARE eligibility after divorce
TRICARE provides health insurance for military families, but after a divorce, your eligibility may change. To remain eligible, you must meet certain criteria. If you were married to a military member for at least 20 years and your spouse served for at least 20 years, you may qualify for continued TRICARE coverage. This rule is called the 20/20/20 rule. If you don’t meet these requirements, your eligibility for TRICARE ends shortly after the divorce finalizes.
Impact of the 20/20/20 rule on benefits
If you meet the 20/20/20 rule, you can continue receiving TRICARE benefits after a divorce. The rule requires you to have been married to your military spouse for at least 20 years, your spouse to have served in the military for at least 20 years, and for your marriage and your spouse’s military service to overlap for at least 20 years. If you don’t meet these conditions, you’ll lose access to TRICARE, but you may qualify for other forms of health coverage through the Defense Department.
TRICARE eligibility exceptions
Some exceptions may allow a former spouse to retain TRICARE coverage even if they don’t meet the 20/20/20 rule. For example, if your marriage lasted at least 20 years, but your spouse only served for 15 years, you won’t qualify under the 20/20/20 rule. However, the 20/20/15 rule could let you keep TRICARE coverage if you meet the other conditions.
Understanding how military benefits like TRICARE work after divorce lets you make informed decisions about healthcare coverage in the future. Stay aware of these rules and plan accordingly.