Pharmacy costs will remain flat for Tricare patients in 2021. Here, Wanda Ward, a pharmacy tech at Naval Hospital Pensacola, fills a prescription for TRICARE beneficiaries June 11, 2019. (Jason Bortz/Navy)

Many costs will be relatively stable in the coming year for military families in Tricare, and pharmacy costs won’t increase, according to new fee information from the Defense Health Agency’s Tricare website.

The notable exceptions are enrollment fees for Tricare Retired Reserve, Tricare Young Adult, and retirees in Tricare Select Group A. As previously reported, monthly enrollment fees are rising sharply for those in Tricare Young Adult, and retirees in Tricare Select Group A must start paying an enrollment fee in 2021.

Active duty families in Tricare Select will see increases of up to a few dollars in the cost-shares they pay for health care for certain services in 2021.

Across the board, pharmacy costs won’t change for all beneficiaries.

Some costs related to non-network inpatient hospitalization care haven’t yet been determined, and are expected to be released in December.

Active duty families in Tricare Prime only pay for care when they get care without a referral, or use non-network providers without authorization, or use a pharmacy other than a military pharmacy. There are no charges to active duty members for any type of health care.

There are differences in some costs for populations based on when the sponsor entered the military. Those who entered before Jan. 1, 2018, are considered Group A. Those who entered on or after Jan. 1, 2018, are considered Group B. It’s based on the Fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, which implemented Tricare reform. The law required that retirees in Group A start paying the enrollment fee, but delayed it until 2021. This doesn’t apply to those in the Tricare for Life plan.

By law, DoD is required to raise certain beneficiary out-of-pocket cost shares by an amount based on the annual cost of living adjustment, or COLA, for retirees. The COLA is 1.3 percent for 2021.

Many costs will be relatively stable in the coming year for military families in Tricare, and pharmacy costs won’t increase, according to new fee information from the Defense Health Agency’s Tricare website.

The notable exceptions are enrollment fees for Tricare Retired Reserve, Tricare Young Adult, and retirees in Tricare Select Group A. As previously reported, monthly enrollment fees are rising sharply for those in Tricare Young Adult, and retirees in Tricare Select Group A must start paying an enrollment fee in 2021.

Active duty families in Tricare Select will see increases of up to a few dollars in the cost-shares they pay for health care for certain services in 2021.

Across the board, pharmacy costs won’t change for all beneficiaries.

Some costs related to non-network inpatient hospitalization care haven’t yet been determined, and are expected to be released in December.

Active duty families in Tricare Prime only pay for care when they get care without a referral, or use non-network providers without authorization, or use a pharmacy other than a military pharmacy. There are no charges to active duty members for any type of health care.

There are differences in some costs for populations based on when the sponsor entered the military. Those who entered before Jan. 1, 2018, are considered Group A. Those who entered on or after Jan. 1, 2018, are considered Group B. It’s based on the Fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, which implemented Tricare reform. The law required that retirees in Group A start paying the enrollment fee, but delayed it until 2021. This doesn’t apply to those in the Tricare for Life plan.

By law, DoD is required to raise certain beneficiary out-of-pocket cost shares by an amount based on the annual cost of living adjustment, or COLA, for retirees. The COLA is 1.3 percent for 2021.