TRICARE PRIME REMOTE PHARMACY COPAYS ELIMINATED FOR U.S. FAMILIES
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Starting Feb. 28, 2026, active duty family members enrolled in TRICARE Prime Remote in the U.S. will no longer pay pharmacy copays for covered prescriptions. The change applies at retail network pharmacies and through TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery, but overseas families are excluded. (Note: Active duty service members, including those with TPR, don't pay copayments for covered drugs.)
What Changed With TRICARE Prime Remote Pharmacy Copays
TRICARE will end pharmacy copays for active duty family members in Prime Remote (U.S.) on Feb. 28, 2026, per the Defense Health Agency.
Under this TRICARE Prime Remote copay waiver, eligible families will pay $0 for covered prescription drugs filled at:
- TRICARE retail network pharmacies
- TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery
This update applies automatically and generally does not require re-enrollment or extra paperwork.
Who Qualifies for the $0 Pharmacy Copay?
The TRICARE Prime Remote pharmacy copay elimination applies to:
- Active duty family members
- Enrolled in TRICARE Prime Remote
- Living in the United States
It does not apply to:
- TRICARE Prime Remote Overseas (TPRO) enrollees
TRICARE estimates that about 58,000 active-duty family members with Prime Remote in the U.S. will benefit from this change.
What Prescriptions Are Covered
The TRICARE Prime Remote pharmacy benefit covers:
- Generic drugs
- Brand-name drugs
- Non-formulary drugs
Two long-standing TRICARE rules still apply and are important for families to know.
Non-formulary drugs still require medical necessity approval from Express Scripts. If a non-formulary medication is prescribed, the provider must submit a medical necessity determination through Express Scripts.
Without approval, families may be responsible for the full cost of the medication.
Maintenance medication rules remain in place. The copay waiver does not override TRICARE’s maintenance drug refill requirements, including limits on repeated retail fills when home delivery is required.
How Much Could Military Families Save?
The waiver will save active duty family members the following:
- $16 for a 30-day supply of generic drugs
- $48 for a 30-day supply of brand-name drugs
- $14 for a 90-day generic supply using mail order pharmacy
- $44 for a 90-day brand-name drug using mail order pharmacy
Under the TRICARE Prime Remote copay waiver, those costs drop to $0 for covered prescriptions when eligibility rules are met.
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Do Families Need to Take Action?
Most active duty family members won't need to act.
Beginning Feb. 28, 2026:
- Eligible prescriptions should automatically process with no copay
- No reimbursement claims are required
Families may need to take action only if:
- They use non-formulary medications (medical necessity approval required), or
- They are affected by maintenance medication refill rules
Why TRICARE Made This Change
Military family advocates have long argued that Prime Remote families effectively pay more for care simply because they live far from military treatment facilities and base pharmacies.
Congress granted authority in the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act, allowing the Defense Health Agency to waive pharmacy cost-sharing for Prime Remote dependents under defined circumstances.
What This Does Not Change
To avoid confusion, this TRICARE Prime Remote pharmacy update does not:
- Eliminate medical visit copays or cost-shares
- Change referral or point-of-service rules
- Apply to overseas Prime Remote families
- Affect other TRICARE plans
This is a targeted pharmacy benefit change, not a cost structure overhaul.
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BY NATALIE OLIVERIO
Veteran & Senior Contributor, Military News at VeteranLife
Navy Veteran
Natalie Oliverio is a Navy Veteran, journalist, and entrepreneur whose reporting brings clarity, compassion, and credibility to stories that matter most to military families. With more than 100 published articles, she has become a trusted voice on defense policy, family life, and issues shaping the...
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Natalie Oliverio is a Navy Veteran, journalist, and entrepreneur whose reporting brings clarity, compassion, and credibility to stories that matter most to military families. With more than 100 published articles, she has become a trusted voice on defense policy, family life, and issues shaping the...
