TRICARE Survivor Coverage

When a military sponsor passes away, TRICARE automatically continues health coverage for surviving family members without requiring them to report the death to the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, as the agency receives death information from military services and the Social Security Administration. Spouses can maintain their health plan coverage until they remarry. Surviving children may qualify for extended coverage through the TRICARE Young Adult program. The specific health plan options available and associated costs vary depending on the sponsor's military status when they died and whether the survivor is a spouse or child. Survivors who prefer to notify the system proactively can do so by visiting a local ID card office with a death certificate, faxing it to DMDC, or mailing it to the DMDC/DEERS Support Office. For prescription coverage updates, survivors must separately notify Express Scripts. The DMDC/DEERS Support Office can provide additional guidance for those unsure about their sponsor's military status or coverage eligibility.