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Military Health Program

TRICARE Benefits for Nicotine and Behavioral Addiction Care

For service members, retirees, and their families, TRICARE covers tobacco cessation and behavioral addiction treatment. Active duty members generally pay nothing, while retirees and dependents may owe copays depending on their TRICARE plan.

Updated: July 13, 2026
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What TRICARE Covers for Nicotine and Behavioral Addiction Care

TRICARE, the military health program, covers tobacco cessation and behavioral addiction care for active duty service members, retirees, and their families. TRICARE recognizes the specific pressures military life can bring and supports members who want to quit.

Active Duty Coverage

Active duty service members receive cessation and behavioral addiction care at no cost through military treatment facilities or TRICARE-authorized civilian providers. TRICARE also offers a free quit-tobacco program with coaching and cessation medications for eligible members.

Family Member Coverage

TRICARE covers cessation and behavioral addiction care for eligible family members under all plan options. Dependents and retirees may owe copays or cost-shares depending on their TRICARE plan (Prime, Select, or For Life).

Covered Services

TRICARE covers tobacco cessation counseling, quit-smoking medications, and behavioral addiction care such as counseling for gambling disorder. More intensive behavioral programs require pre-authorization, and covered services follow your specific plan.

How to Verify Your TRICARE Benefits

TRICARE benefits are generally standardized, but verification confirms your specific eligibility and plan details.

Eligibility & Benefits

  • Confirm DEERS enrollment and TRICARE plan type
  • Verify beneficiary category (active duty, retiree, dependent)
  • Check copay or cost-share amounts for your plan
  • Confirm any referral or pre-authorization requirements
  • Identify your regional TRICARE contractor
  • Check whether the provider is TRICARE-authorized

Contact Information

Contact your regional TRICARE contractor (East: Humana Military; West: TriWest Healthcare) or call the Defense Health Agency at 1-800-874-2273 for help with cessation and behavioral health benefits.

Using TRICARE to Pay for Cessation Treatment

How you access cessation and behavioral addiction care through TRICARE depends on your beneficiary category and plan type.

TRICARE Prime

TRICARE Prime members need a referral from their primary care manager (PCM) for behavioral health care. Your PCM can refer you to military or civilian providers. Active duty members should also connect with their unit's health resources.

TRICARE Select

TRICARE Select allows self-referral to TRICARE-authorized outpatient behavioral health providers. More intensive behavioral care still requires pre-authorization through your regional TRICARE contractor. Select offers more provider flexibility than Prime.

Find TRICARE Providers

Search for TRICARE-authorized providers through the TRICARE directory or use our treatment program search to find providers accepting TRICARE and military insurance.

TRICARE Coverage: What People Ask

Yes. TRICARE covers tobacco cessation for eligible beneficiaries, generally including counseling and FDA-approved medications. Active duty members can also use the free TRICARE quit-tobacco program. Behavioral addiction care is covered when medically necessary, subject to plan rules.

TRICARE generally covers FDA-approved cessation medications, including varenicline and bupropion, and nicotine replacement therapy for eligible beneficiaries. Some medications are available at no cost through the cessation benefit, while others follow standard pharmacy rules — verify with your plan.

TRICARE Prime members typically need a referral from their primary care manager, while TRICARE Select allows self-referral to network providers for outpatient behavioral health. Higher levels of behavioral addiction care generally require pre-authorization.

Yes. TRICARE covers tobacco cessation and behavioral addiction treatment for eligible family members under its plan options. Dependents and retirees may owe copays or cost-shares depending on their TRICARE plan, while active duty members generally pay nothing.

Contact your regional TRICARE contractor (East: Humana Military; West: TriWest Healthcare) or call the Defense Health Agency at 1-800-874-2273. Confirm your plan type, any referral or authorization needs, and whether the program is TRICARE-authorized.

Other Insurance Options

Medicare

Medicare covers tobacco cessation for enrolled adults — Part B pays for quit-smoking counseling, and Part D covers cessation medications. Behavioral addiction treatment may be covered when medically necessary. What you pay depends on your specific parts and any Medicare Advantage plan.

Medicaid

Medicaid covers tobacco cessation treatment in state programs across the country, typically including counseling and FDA-approved quit-smoking medications, though covered services and any limits vary by state. Most enrollees pay little or nothing out of pocket.

United Healthcare

United Healthcare, the largest commercial insurer in the country, generally covers nicotine cessation and behavioral addiction care through its Optum behavioral health division. Specific benefits, copays, and any authorization steps depend on your plan tier — confirm details before you begin.

Humana

Humana plans typically cover tobacco cessation as a preventive benefit under the Affordable Care Act, including quit-smoking counseling, FDA-approved medications, and behavioral addiction care under Mental Health Parity protections. Exact copays and any prior-authorization rules vary by plan tier.