‘Tis the season… for open enrollment. For veterans and their families, navigating healthcare options can feel like alphabet soup: VA, TRICARE, CHAMPVA, Medicare. What’s what, and what do you need to do?

Here’s a plain-English guide to the 2025 open enrollment season and how your benefits work together.

First, a Key Clarification: VA health care is not insurance and does not have an “open enrollment” period. If you have a service-connected disability or meet other eligibility rules, you can enroll in VA health care at any time.

The “open enrollment” period you’re hearing about applies to TRICARE and Medicare.

1. TRICARE Open Season (for Retirees & Families)

• What it is: This is the annual period (mid-Nov to mid-Dec) when military retirees and their eligible family members can make changes to their TRICARE health plan (e.g., switch between TRICARE Select and TRICARE Prime).
• Who it’s for: Retirees, their spouses, and eligible children. It is not for active-duty members or veterans who are not retirees.
• Action: If you are a retiree using TRICARE, now is the time to review your 2026 costs and plan options.

2. Medicare Open Enrollment (for Veterans 65+)

• What it is: This is the period (Oct 15 – Dec 7) when anyone eligible for Medicare can change their plans (e.g., switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan).
• Who it’s for: All Americans 65 and older, including veterans.
• How it works with VA: Many veterans ask, “If I have VA health care, do I need Medicare Part B?” The VA recommends you sign up for Medicare Part A (which is free) and Part B (which has a premium) when you turn 65.
  • Why? VA health care covers you at VA facilities. Medicare covers you at private, Medicare-accepting hospitals. Having both gives you flexibility and a crucial safety net if you can’t get to a VA facility in an emergency.

3. CHAMPVA (for Dependents of 100% P&T Veterans)

• What it is: CHAMPVA is a health sharing program, not insurance. It is for the spouses and children of veterans who are rated 100% Permanent and Total (P&T) or who died from a service-connected disability.
• Open Enrollment: Like the VA, CHAMPVA does not have an open enrollment period. You can enroll your family as soon as you receive your 100% P&T rating.
• Coordination: CHAMPVA is almost always the “secondary payer” to other health insurance, including Medicare. If your spouse is 65 and eligible for CHAMPVA, they must be enrolled in Medicare Part A and B to use CHAMPVA.

Your Year-End Checklist:

1. Retirees: Review your TRICARE plan.
2. Vets 65+: Review your Medicare options. If you don’t have Part B, seriously consider if it’s the right choice for your emergency-care safety net.
3. 100% P&T Vets: Make sure your family is enrolled in CHAMPVA and understands how it works with any other insurance they have.

Important Disclosure: Our group provides independent medical evaluations and nexus letters based solely on clinical judgment. Our medical services include documenting symptoms, diagnoses, and functional limitations. Fees are for medical services only and are not contingent on claim outcomes. We do not provide assistance with the preparation, filing, submission, or tracking of VA claims, and we comply fully with California SB 694.

*This article was reviewed and updated for compliance on February 17, 2026.