When you (or your military sponsor) retire from the military, you remain on regular Tricare, either Prime or Select, paying the retired premiums, deductibles, and co-payments. Your regular Tricare coverage ends when you turn 65. Once you turn 65, you are eligible for Tricare for Life, which acts as wrap-around coverage for your Medicare coverage. You must be signed up for Medicare Parts A and B in order to use Tricare for Life benefits.
Transitioning from Tricare To Tricare For Life
You must be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, be paying Medicare Part B premiums, and have up-to-date DEERS information to use Tricare for Life. Enrollment in Medicare should happen in the three months prior to your 65th birthday, giving plenty of time for the coverage to start when you turn 65. If you don’t enroll during that window, you can enroll during the the months after your birthday without penalty, but your coverage will be delayed and you will have a gap in coverage.
There are no enrollment forms or premiums for Tricare for Life.
Your Tricare for Life coverage starts on the first day you have Medicare Parts A and B coverage. If you do not enroll in Medicare before your birthday, you may have a gap in coverage.
How Tricare For Life Works
Once you are covered for Medicare and Tricare for Life, you can see any doctor that accepts Medicare. You will use your Medicare card and your military ID as your insurance cards.
The provider will be Medicare for your care. Medicare will pay its portion and forward the remaining bill to the Tricare for Life contractor, who will pay its portion. In most cases, there will be no remaining bill for you to pay.
You may continue to use a Military Treatment Facility if that is permitted by the individual facility.
Medicare Part D
Tricare for Life has comprehensive prescription drug coverage and you don’t need to sign up for Medicare Part D coverage. You may continue to use Military Treatment Facility pharmacies, eligible civilian pharmacies, or the Express Scripts mail order program.
Other Family Members
Family members who are not using Medicare will continue being covered by their usual Tricare coverage.
You can find more information about the Tricare for Life program at the Tricare website or the Tricare for Life website.
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