TRICARE for Life and TRICARE Pharmacy Program

What is TRICARE for Life?

TRICARE For Life is health insurance for eligible military retirees and their family members who have Medicare Part A and Part B. It works with Medicare to help cover many health care costs.

With TRICARE For Life:

• Medicare pays first.

• TRICARE pays second for most covered services.

• You may have little or no out-of-pocket cost for covered care.

TRICARE For Life can help pay for doctor visits, hospital care, and many other medical services.

What is the TRICARE Pharmacy Program?

The TRICARE Pharmacy Program helps eligible service members, veterans, military retirees, and their families pay for prescription drugs. If you have TRICARE For Life, this prescription drug coverage is included. You can fill covered prescriptions at military pharmacies, through home delivery, or at participating local pharmacies.

Note: If you turned age 65 before April 1, 2001, you can continue to use the TRICARE Pharmacy Program without enrolling in Medicare Part B. If you turned 65 on or after April 1, 2001, you generally must enroll in Medicare Part B to keep full TRICARE benefits, including access to the TRICARE Pharmacy Program outside of military pharmacies.

How do TRICARE and Medicare Part D work together?

Medicare helps you pay for prescription medicine through the Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage program (also called Part D). If you have TRICARE, you can sign up for Medicare Part D—it will not affect your TRICARE pharmacy benefit.

Since TRICARE pharmacy coverage is at least as good as Medicare Part D coverage, you do not have to enroll in Medicare Part D. You will not receive a penalty from Medicare for not enrolling in Part D when first eligible.

If you choose to sign up for Medicare Part D later, you may do so during the annual Open Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 to Dec. 7) without paying higher premiums. Contact TRICARE if you need more information on how the program works with Medicare Part D.

Can I get help from the TRICARE programs?

You can take part in these programs if you have Medicare and are a uniformed services retiree or retired member of the reserves. Some dependent family members may also be able to receive benefits:

• Spouses

• Widows and widowers

• Certain former spouses who have Medicare

You do not need to pay an enrollment fee for these programs. But you must enroll in Medicare Part B and pay your Part B premiums, which are automatically taken out of your Social Security check.

Also, it’s important you use Medicare-approved health care providers. That’s because in most cases, Medicare pays first and TRICARE for Life pays its share of the remaining health care costs second. If you live overseas, you can still use TRICARE for Life but must pay for the same cost shares and deductibles as the TRICARE standard benefit.

How do I get more information about the TRICARE programs?

• For more information about TRICARE for Life, call 1-866-773-0404 or visit the TRICARE for Life website.

• For more information about TRICARE Pharmacy Program, call 1-877-363-1303 or visit the Pharmacy Program website.