Medicare Part B and Tricare under 65

gtvapsamtik

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Hello everyone

I medically retired from U.S. Army last year. I was issued a Blue ID Card which I can assume I have free TRICARE Standard?

I have been received SSN since past few months. Today I received a MEDICARE Card. The booklet says I have to sign up for MEDICARE Part B if I want to keep my Tricare benefits.

But I am also enrolled in VA for medical coverage which include prescription cost due to 100% disability.

so my Questions are:

1) Is it better to decline the MEDICARE PART B Coverage since I am already enrolled in VA medical? I assume I can go to VA medical facility for any sort of illness and cost will be covered due to special compensation pay.

2) If I choose to decline MEDICARE PART B Coverage, what happens to TRICARE STANDARD for my spouse and child will they keep their TRICARE benefits until she turns 65?

3) If I choose to Accept it, what happens to TRICARE benefits for my family.

4) If I signup for TRICARE PRIME, do I still need to pay premium for MEDICARE Part B.

As always thank you for help.
 
Last edited:
Hello everyone

I medically retired from U.S. Army last year. I was issued a Blue ID Card which I can assume I have free TRICARE Standard?

I have been received SSN since past few months. Today I received a MEDICARE Card. The booklet says I have to sign up for MEDICARE Part B if I want to keep my Tricare benefits.

But I am also enrolled in VA for medical coverage which include prescription cost due to 100% disability.

so my Questions are:

1) Is it better to decline the MEDICARE PART B Coverage since I am already enrolled in VA medical? I assume I can go to VA medical facility for any sort of illness and cost will be covered due to special compensation pay.

2) If I choose to decline MEDICARE PART B Coverage, what happens to TRICARE STANDARD for my spouse and child will they keep their TRICARE benefits until she turns 65?

3) If I choose to Accept it, what happens to TRICARE benefits for my family.

4) If I signup for TRICARE PRIME, do I still need to pay premium for MEDICARE Part B.

As always thank you for help.


I don't know all the details. But I do pay into Medicare so I can use Tricare For Life.

Tricare is good all over the world. Medicare is only good here in the USA/territories.

I don't have a Tricare premium - just Medicare that comes out of my SSDI check every month.

I use the VA, too. But I pay Medicare so I can have Tricare as a back-up anywhere in the world. And, I have more options on what doctors I can choose from should I not be happy with the VA doctors, or need a second opinion, or, in case a GOOD doctor doesn't take Medicare.

I read a long time ago if you drop your Medicare & then decide to re-start it at a later date, the premium goes up. Plus, you may have to wait a few months until the window opens up to re-enroll.

When I looked into this a few years ago, I decided to just keep my Medicare so I could have the option of Tricare, and not have to worry about premium penalty rate increases or delays in re-establishing eligibility.

For me, it's a small insurance premium to pay every month (under 105 bucks per month for me). It allows for Tricare world-wide usage, and opens up the door to more doctors and specialists to choose from should I ever need to get a specialist or second opinion.

Any body else out there in the Current "know" about this?

V/R,
nwlivewire
 
It is current open enrollment for Medicare so he can start the part B back up if he wishes.
 
It is current open enrollment for Medicare so he can start the part B back up if he wishes.

Thanks for letting us know the annual window is now open.

Don't know how long it stays open, but now is the time to enroll/re-enroll!

nwlivewire
 
I don't know all the details. But I do pay into Medicare so I can use Tricare For Life.

Tricare is good all over the world. Medicare is only good here in the USA/territories.

I don't have a Tricare premium - just Medicare that comes out of my SSDI check every month.

I use the VA, too. But I pay Medicare so I can have Tricare as a back-up anywhere in the world. And, I have more options on what doctors I can choose from should I not be happy with the VA doctors, or need a second opinion, or, in case a GOOD doctor doesn't take Medicare.

I read a long time ago if you drop your Medicare & then decide to re-start it at a later date, the premium goes up. Plus, you may have to wait a few months until the window opens up to re-enroll.

When I looked into this a few years ago, I decided to just keep my Medicare so I could have the option of Tricare, and not have to worry about premium penalty rate increases or delays in re-establishing eligibility.

For me, it's a small insurance premium to pay every month (under 105 bucks per month for me). It allows for Tricare world-wide usage, and opens up the door to more doctors and specialists to choose from should I ever need to get a specialist or second opinion.

Any body else out there in the Current "know" about this?

V/R,
nwlivewire

Ditto, indeed! ;)

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!
 
That's a very good information, seems like its worth paying for Medicare Part B then.

Question how does this affect my family who have Tricare Standard ?
 
That's a very good information, seems like its worth paying for Medicare Part B then.

Question how does this affect my family who have Tricare Standard ?

In my opinion, it doesn't have any direct affect on your family members with TRICARE Standard.

As such, if you still have pin-pointed questions, I would strongly suggest that you contact the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services via calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to talk with a Medicare customer service representative 24 hours a day, everyday.

In addition, please reference the attached pamphlet "Medicare Basics: A Guide for Families and Friends of People with Medicare" for potential supplemental information.

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!
 

Attachments

  • Medicare-Basics_A-Guide-for-Families-and-Friends-of-People-with-Medicare_May2011.pdf
    1.4 MB · Views: 0
That's a very good information, seems like its worth paying for Medicare Part B then.

Question how does this affect my family who have Tricare Standard ?
Your dependents will still receive Tricare Standard and Extra as long as they are eligible.

Eligible Beneficiaries
  • Active duty family members
  • Retired service members and their families
  • Family members of activated Guard/Reserve members
  • Non-activated Guard/Reserve members and their families who qualify for care under the Transitional Assistance Management Program
  • Retired Guard/Reserve members (age 60 and receiving retired pay) and their families*
  • Survivors
  • Medal of Honor recipients and their families
  • Qualified former spouses
There is a cost share with Tricare Standard, if you use a in network physician or medical group, then Tricare extra takes effect and the cost share is lower.

If your dependents are eligible for Medicare part A, then they must enroll in part B to begin Tricare for life coverage. With Tricare for life Medicare is the primary payer and Tricare secondary.
 
So If you have Medicare Part A and B and also have Tricare Standard, Do you automatically go under Tricare For Life?
 
Your dependents will still receive Tricare Standard and Extra as long as they are eligible.

Eligible Beneficiaries
  • Active duty family members
  • Retired service members and their families
  • Family members of activated Guard/Reserve members
  • Non-activated Guard/Reserve members and their families who qualify for care under the Transitional Assistance Management Program
  • Retired Guard/Reserve members (age 60 and receiving retired pay) and their families*
  • Survivors
  • Medal of Honor recipients and their families
  • Qualified former spouses
There is a cost share with Tricare Standard, if you use a in network physician or medical group, then Tricare extra takes effect and the cost share is lower.

If your dependents are eligible for Medicare part A, then they must enroll in part B to begin Tricare for life coverage. With Tricare for life Medicare is the primary payer and Tricare secondary.


I want to add the following for those who are on SSDI and are/will be eligible for Medicare AND are thinking about using their Post 9/11 GI Bill at a school located OUTSIDE the US/territories.

Many nations/universities around the world require you to have health care insurance in case you need medical care while you are living in that host country and going to school there. And even though that nation may have a national health care system, it may only be utilized by their citizens for free or at their costs (after all, I would be considered a foreigner if I lived in another country for schooling).

Showing proof of having a qualified health care policy - like Tricare with it's world-wide portability - checks this box. And, what this means to you is that you won't HAVE TO buy into another FULL-care overseas health care plan because you already have one that qualifies. This cuts down on your overseas living expenses and makes your student budget much more friendly because that's money you don't have to pay out of your pocket every month. If anything, having Tricare allows you to have access to the best care you can get overseas. And, if you really want to be "super-protected", you would only need to get a "supplemental" policy for "catastrophic" care (MediVac back to the States). And then, your Medicare kicks in at that point as you are already enrolled. So no big, expensive, family health care premiums for you at all.

This is just one of many reasons why we have so many military retirees living all over the world. With low cost-of-living, quality health care available, and, with the excellent international education system for them and their kids, this is a great option for many. And remember - you and your family would also get the stipend rate 8 months out of a traditional school year when you use your GI Bill overseas, too.

Not saying everyone should do this. Just saying we have lots more low cost options to use and have at our disposal for many different options most Americans do not have or would be able to afford to have.

Especially when you factor in your health care options with Tricare.

V/R,

nwlivewire
 
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