The Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP) is a premium-based plan that:
- Provides temporary health coverage for 18 to 36 months when beneficiaries lose eligibility for Tricare, acting as a bridge between military health benefits and a civilian health plan.
- Provides the same coverage as Tricare Select, including prescriptions.
- Qualifies as minimum essential coverage under the Affordable Care Act, but it is temporary. You should consider your options for when CHCBP ends.
If you qualify, you can purchase CHCBP within 60 days of the loss of Tricare eligibility.
CHCBP coverage must be purchased in 90-day increments, and premiums are billed quarterly.
The premium rates for 2026 are $2,103 per quarter for individuals and $5,339 per quarter for families.
Who is Eligible for Continued Health Care Benefits?
You may qualify to purchase the CHCBP in the following scenarios. In all cases, the service member's separation must be under "other than adverse" conditions. You must have an "honorable" or "general" discharge to qualify.
If you were using one of the following plans, it must have been purchased and in place at least one day before you lost eligibility for you to qualify for CHCBP:
| Former Category | Scenario | Length of Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Active-duty service member | Released from active duty | Up to 18 months |
| Full-time National Guard member | Separated from full-time status | Up to 18 months |
| Member covered by the Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) | Loss of TAMP coverage | Up to 18 months |
| Reserve member with Tricare Reserve Select (TRS) | Loss of TRS coverage | Up to 18 months |
| Retired reservist with Tricare Retired Reserve (TRR) | Loss of TRR coverage (before age 60) | Up to 18 months |
| Dependent spouse or child | Loss of Tricare coverage | Up to 36 months |
| Unremarried former spouse | Loss of Tricare coverage | Up to 36 months* |
*Unremarried former spouses may qualify for additional coverage. Please check with Humana Military for details.
CHCBP Contractor
The CHCBP contractor is Humana Military, a division of Humana Government Business. Humana Military provides services for enrollment, authorization, claims processing and customer service. For more information about CHCBP or to see if you qualify:
- Visit the CHCBP website
- Call Humana Military at 800-444-5445
-- Additional reporting by Jim Absher
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