Medicare Advantage, also known as Medicare Part C, is an alternative to traditional Medicare.īy choosing this option, you can sign up for Medicare benefits through a private insurance company. If you need help paying for prescription drugs, you can apply for Medicare Part D’s Extra Help assistance program through the SSA’s website. For example, TRICARE for Life may not cover drugs from your preferred retail pharmacy or prescriptions from a non–Veteran’s Administration (VA) provider. However, you can still choose to purchase a Part D plan, as it may cover more drugs and may have fewer rules than with TRICARE. TRICARE for Life qualifies as creditable prescription drug coverage, so you don’t have to purchase a separate Part D plan. Medicare requires you to have some form of prescription drug coverage. TRICARE offers a formulary search tool that can help you find out your medications are covered and how much they’ll cost. TRICARE for Life also has its own medication formulary list, similar in some ways to Medicare Part D. If you receive a service from Medicare that TRICARE doesn’t cover (such as chiropractic care), you’re responsible for the Medicare-approved amount.If you see a provider who opts out of Medicare, TRICARE will pay for a portion (unless you have other health insurance) as if Medicare had paid for the charge.Generally, Medicare will pay first for services, then TRICARE for Life will pay any remaining costs. Here is a breakdown of how TRICARE works with the different types of Medicare plans.
It also provides overseas benefits, which can be helpful if you frequently travel out of the country. TRICARE for Life is intended to help reduce your out-of-pocket costs when you are eligible for Medicare. How does TRICARE for Life work with Medicare? There are other TRICARE policies for those younger than age 65 who don’t qualify for Medicare. If you have beneficiaries that are younger than age 65 and don’t yet qualify for Medicare, they aren’t personally eligible for TRICARE for Life (yet). Once you have Medicare parts A and B, you are automatically enrolled in TRICARE for Life, provided your information is up to date with DEERS. If you don’t, you can sign up with the SSA by calling 80 or visiting your local SSA office. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will automatically enroll you if you currently receive benefits. You should automatically qualify for Medicare benefits when you turn age 65. Together, these parts are known as original Medicare. To receive TRICARE for Life benefits, you must be enrolled in Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Medicare Part B (medical insurance). This coverage type also extends to care received overseas, which Medicare doesn’t cover. The policy is intended to provide additional health benefits to those who have served in the U.S. TRICARE for Life is referred to as “wraparound” coverage. Your benefits may vary based on the beneficiary category you belong to. those registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).Medal of Honor recipients and their families.former spouses (must meet certain qualifications).These benefits may also extend to those related to the service members, including: TRICARE for Life is an insurance program that provides expanded healthcare coverage for active duty and retired uniformed service members who are age 65 or older and eligible for Medicare.