While Medicare is available to retired Americans collecting Social Security, there is another healthcare available to veterans called TRICARE.
TRICARE is a health insurance program for active duty and retired uniformed services members to offer better access to high quality healthcare services.
Service members that qualify for Medicare Parts A and B can also get TRICARE’s wrap around coverage.
It is a supplement to Medicare and pays the deductible and patient cost share.
How to sign up for insurance
In order to receive TRICARE benefits, you must be entitled to Part A and enroll in Part B.
If members choose to not enroll in Part B they will lose their supplemental coverage.
Exception to losing TRICARE due to loss of Medicare Part B coverage
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 made it so anyone eligible after Oct. 2009 can retain TRICARE with retroactive disability benefits.
How to get a replacement Medicare card
If you’re given retroactive disability insurance benefits, you may become eligible for Medicare Part A and may then enroll in Medicare Part B.
Those who were given retroactive disability insurance benefits do not need to enroll in Part B for the past months being covered, but do need to enroll to keep TRICARE moving forward.
Learn more about this coverage and all the changes to the law here.
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