Reviewed for accuracy by Lauri Middleton, RN, MSN, licensed Medicare agentReviewed for clarity by Karen OrillaMeet our reviewers →
Military & Medicare
Military service and Medicare
Medicare does not replace TRICARE or VA care, and neither replaces Medicare. Here is how the systems sit beside each other, and who confirms your own situation.
TRICARE For Life
TRICARE For Life is the coverage that military retirees and eligible family members keep after 65. It works as a supplement to Medicare, and TRICARE states that it requires enrollment in both Part A and Part B. That is why the Part B date on this site matters more, not less, for military-connected households: a gap in Part B can mean a gap in TRICARE.
VA health care
VA health care and Medicare are separate systems. A veteran can have both; Medicare pays for care outside the VA, and the VA pays for care it authorizes. Having VA care does not, by itself, delay the Part B window or remove the Part B late-enrollment rule. The VA explains the interaction on its own site.
The drug coverage question is different
TRICARE pharmacy coverage counts as creditable drug coverage, and VA prescription coverage is also creditable. That changes the Part D decision compared with most people: keeping that coverage avoids the Part D penalty count. The written confirmation comes from TRICARE or the VA, not from this site.
Who confirms your situation
Before the birthday month: call the TRICARE For Life line or the VA health benefits line with your own dates in hand, then bring their answer to a San Diego County HICAP counselor. This site draws the calendar; those three confirm how it applies to you.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Who pays first?
- TRICARE — Beneficiaries eligible for TRICARE and Medicare
- VA — VA health care and other insurance
San Diego County HICAP
Free, confidential, one-on-one Medicare counseling through the County of San Diego Aging & Independence Services. Not affiliated with any plan or agent.
English · Español · + interpreters
TRICARE — Medicare-eligible beneficiaries
Official TRICARE rules for how Medicare and TRICARE For Life work together, and the TRICARE For Life contractor line.
English
VA health care and other insurance
How VA health care sits alongside Medicare, from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA health benefits hotline answers enrollment questions.
English · Español