DEERS Registry & TRICARE Prime Enrollment for Your Newborn

Registering a newborn in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) and enrolling a newborn into TRICARE Prime are distinctly separate actions.

The first step for new parents is to register their newborn in DEERS as soon as possible after birth. Each family member must be registered in DEERS. To register, visit your military installation ID card issuing location with a copy of your baby’s birth certificate.

Once your baby is registered in DEERS, you will need to complete a TRICARE Prime Enrollment Application and send it to TriWest within 60 days of birth. To get a copy of the TRICARE Prime Enrollment Application, go to www.triwest.com or visit a TRICARE Service Center.

A newborn is covered as a TRICARE Prime beneficiary for the first 60 days after birth as long as one additional family member is enrolled in TRICARE Prime. If you complete the application within 60 days after birth, your baby’s enrollment date will be retroactive to the date of his or her birth. Enrolling your newborn in TRICARE Prime expands your baby’s immunization and preventive care benefits.

If the newborn is not enrolled in TRICARE Prime within 60 days after birth, coverage will revert to the TRICARE Standard program option (which carries additional deductibles and cost-shares) until the infant is enrolled in TRICARE Prime. A newborn’s eligibility for TRICARE Standard ends 365 days after birth if not properly registered in DEERS.

For more information, contact TriWest at 1-888-TRIWEST or visit www.triwest.com.