Tricare is, in basic terms, health care for the military. So who is eligible? Tricare is for family members of men and women actively serving in the military. Tricare also extends out to those who are the retired military, as well as those who are dependents of military retirees. Of course, there are different classifications for a dependent. Those that apply for Tricare include:
- Those married to a military service member
- The unmarried children of the service member (under the age of 21)
- The unmarried children of the service member (under the age of 23 and attend school full-time)
- Any adopted children or step-children of the service member
Another part of being eligible for Tricare is that you need to be listed in the database for the Defense Department. This database is called the "Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System," also known as DEERS.
Now that we are clear on who is eligible for Tricare, what about who is not? The following is a list of those who cannot receive benefits from Tricare:
- Parents of any military service members or any retirees.
- In-law partents of military service members or any retirees.
- Others who are eligible instead for Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) health benefits.
Just as those who are 65 or above can qualify for Medicare, veterans of this age may also be able to qualify for something called "Tricare for Life" benefits.
So, who manages Tricare and who holds authority over this health care plan? Tricare Management Activity, also known as TMA, manages Tricare, while the authority over Tricare rests with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, also called OSD/HA.
There are basically three Tricare options for health care, and those include:
- Tricare Standard (annual deductible and co-insurance)
- Tricare Extra (Preferred Provider Organization or PPO)
- Tricare Prime (Health Maintenance Organization or HMO)
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Military Benefits 
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