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Medicare Made Clear
When a veteran becomes eligible for Medicare,
he or she may already have other insurance such as from an employer, the
Veterans Administration (VA) benefits or TRICARE. Because of this, you may ask
the following:
·
As a veteran, do I have to
enroll in Medicare when I first become eligible?
·
Is Medicare required for
veterans?
·
Do Medicare and TRICARE work
together?
·
Can Medicare work with my VA
benefits?
Let’s start with Medicare overall for veterans
before diving in deeper into how Medicare may work with VA benefits and
TRICARE.
Are Veterans Required to Enroll in Medicare?
Nobody is required to enroll in Medicare, but
if you do so outside of your Initial Enrollment Period without creditable coverage from
an employer, you could face late enrollment penalties. It’s important to note
that neither VA benefits nor TRICARE will qualify you to delay Medicare
enrollment without financial penalty.
Q: Do I need Medicare if I’m a
veteran who’s planning to work past 65?
A: If you have creditable drug coverage from an
employer and plan to work past 65, you may be able to delay Medicare enrollment
without penalty. Click here to learn about Medicare when working past 65.
Q: Is Medicare mandatory for
veterans with VA benefits?
A: Medicare is not mandatory for anyone,
but if you enroll outside of your Initial Enrollment Period and don’t qualify to
delay, you could face late enrollment penalties. If you have VA benefits, you
do not have to enroll in Medicare in order to keep your VA benefits.
That being said, the Veterans Administration
actually recommends veterans enroll in Medicare when they become eligible.
Enrolling offers veterans more coverage choices and options for medical and
hospital care, as well as for prescription drug services if they also enroll in
a Part D plan. Finally, the VA has also cautioned veterans that it’s uncertain
whether or not they’ll be able to continue to cover all veterans in the
future. Please click here to read the important statement from
the VA about why you should sign up for Medicare at 65.
Q: Do you need to get Medicare
when you have TRICARE?
A: If you have TRICARE, unless you meet certain
exceptions, you will need to get Medicare to remain eligible for TRICARE. Keep
reading for more information about Medicare with TRICARE.
Medicare & TRICARE
If you have TRICARE when you become eligible
for Medicare at 65, you can have both. You have 90 days after you become
eligible for Medicare to change your TRICARE health plan, and your plan options
will depend on your specific situation including how you qualify for Medicare,
you or a family member’s active duty status and which TRICARE plan you’re
currently enrolled in.
Most people with TRICARE, who become Medicare
eligible and get Medicare Part A, must also have Medicare Part B to be able to
remain eligible. Part D is not required to maintain eligibility.
You can remain eligible for
TRICARE without enrolling in Medicare Part B only if you are:
·
An active duty service member
·
An active duty family member
·
Enrolled in TRICARE Reserve
Select, TRICARE Retired Reserve, TRICARE Young Adult or the US Family Health
Plan.
Another important note is that when you become
Medicare eligible, the age of your spouse and covered family members, as well
as the TRICARE plan you all were on, each play a role in your coverage options.
If you have TRICARE for Life, we’d
suggest checking out this blog.
For more information about TRICARE and
Medicare, visit www.tricare.mil/medicare.
Medicare and Veterans Administration Benefits
Can Work Together
You can have both VA Benefits and Medicare.
However, you will need to choose which benefits you use when you receive health
care services or get health care items.
To use VA benefits, you’ll have to see a VA
doctor or get care at a VA medical center or other VA location. The VA will
also cover care if it’s been pre-authorized for services in a non-VA hospital
or other care location.
If you go to a non-VA or also VA authorized
care facility, Medicare may pay for the services you may need, or if the VA has
only pre-authorized some services at the non-VA location, then Medicare may
provide coverage for other services the VA doesn’t cover. What Medicare does
and doesn’t cover will depend on the plan you have, what kind of health care
facility you receive services at, and which benefits you designate to use if
you can use both.
Some
other important things to note about Medicare when you have VA benefits:
·
If you have Part B, and then
you drop it, you won’t be able to get it back until January of the following
year. Also, if you drop it and decide you want it back later on, you may have
to pay a penalty to reinstate the coverage. (VA source)
·
VA benefits often include prescription
drug coverage; however, if you sign up for Medicare Part D, you can also get
your medicines from non-VA doctors and fill prescriptions at local pharmacies
instead of only through the VA mail-order service.
For more information about VA benefits,
visit www.va.gov.
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