Tricare For Life is not a Medicare supplement — it is a separate military health insurance program that works alongside Medicare

If you are a military retiree or survivor age 65 or older, Tricare For Life (TFL) covers costs that Medicare does not pay. But it functions differently from a Medigap policy. With TFL, you keep your Medicare coverage and pay Medicare premiums. TFL then acts as a secondary payer, covering your share of Medicare-approved charges after Medicare pays first. You do not choose between TFL and a supplement — if you are may be able to access for TFL, it becomes your secondary coverage automatically.

The key difference: a Medigap policy is sold by private insurers and standardized by federal rules. TFL is run by the Department of Defense and available only to military beneficiaries. Medigap policies have set benefit levels (Plan A through Plan N). TFL has its own cost-sharing structure tied to military retiree status, not to civilian supplement categories.

Key Takeaways

  • Tricare For Life is available only to military retirees, survivors, and their family members age 65 or older who are enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B.
  • TFL works as a secondary payer after Medicare, meaning Medicare processes your claim first and TFL covers most of what Medicare does not pay.
  • You must be enrolled in both Medicare Parts A and B and pay their premiums to use Tricare For Life.
  • Tricare For Life has no monthly premium, but you pay small copayments or coinsurance amounts at the point of care.
  • If you are may be able to access for TFL, you cannot use a Medigap supplement instead — TFL is your only secondary coverage option.

Who can get Tricare For Life

You are may be able to access for Tricare For Life if you are a military retiree (or survivor of a retiree) and you turn 65 while you hold an active Tricare enrollment. You must also be enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B. Active-duty family members do not may have access to; only retirees and their survivors do.

The moment you turn 65, you become may be able to access — you do not have to explore. TFL enrollment is automatic if you meet the age and military service requirements and are already using Tricare. However, you must enroll in Medicare Parts A and B on time. If you miss the Medicare enrollment window, you may lose TFL coverage until you enroll in Medicare.

Survivors of military retirees — spouses and dependent children — also may have access to at age 65 if they were receiving Tricare benefits before that age. Former spouses may may have access to under specific rules related to the length of the marriage and military service overlap.

How Tricare For Life pays after Medicare

When you receive medical care, Medicare is billed first. Medicare pays its share of the approved charge. You would normally owe the remaining balance — your coinsurance or copayment. Tricare For Life then pays most or all of that remaining balance, depending on the type of service and whether the provider is in-network.

For example: a doctor visit is approved at $100. Medicare pays $80. You would normally owe $20. With Tricare For Life, TFL pays that $20. For hospital stays, Medicare covers the first 60 days fully. Days 61 to 90 require a daily coinsurance payment from you; TFL covers that coinsurance. After day 90, you enter Medicare's lifetime reserve days, and TFL again covers your share.

The exact amount TFL covers depends on whether you see a network provider (one who accepts Tricare rates). Out-of-network providers may bill you for amounts above the Tricare allowable charge, and TFL will not cover those excess charges. This is a real cost difference between TFL and some Medigap plans, which cover out-of-network balance billing.

Costs you pay with Tricare For Life

Tricare For Life has no monthly premium. You pay Medicare Part A and Part B premiums as usual — these are separate from TFL. Most people pay the standard Part B premium (which changes yearly); some pay higher premiums based on income.

At the point of care, you pay small copayments or coinsurance amounts. For primary care office visits, the copayment is typically $12 to $15. Specialist visits are $20 to $25. Emergency room visits are $65. These amounts do not change yearly and are lower than many Medigap plans charge. However, you pay these copayments at every visit — there is no annual deductible to meet before coverage begins, but there is also no out-of-pocket maximum that caps your yearly costs.

Prescription drugs are covered through Tricare's pharmacy program, not through Medicare Part D. You can use military pharmacies, retail pharmacies in the Tricare network, or mail order. Copayments for generic drugs are $5 to $11 depending on the source; brand-name drugs cost more. You do not enroll in a separate Part D plan if you have TFL.

Tricare For Life versus Medigap supplements

If you are may be able to access for Tricare For Life, you cannot purchase a Medigap policy. Federal law prohibits dual coverage. This is important because some Medigap plans (Plan F and Plan G) cover the Part B deductible and out-of-network balance billing, which TFL does not. If you need coverage for those costs, TFL may not be the right fit — but you have no choice if you are a military beneficiary.

Conversely, TFL has no monthly premium and lower copayments than most Medigap plans. If you are comfortable with the copayment structure and use in-network providers, TFL is usually less expensive than a Medigap policy would be. The trade-off is that you have less flexibility with out-of-network care.

Some military retirees become may be able to access for Tricare For Life but delay Medicare enrollment, thinking they can use Tricare alone. This is a mistake. TFL requires Medicare Parts A and B to function. Without Medicare, you have no TFL coverage.

Enrollment and what to do when you turn 65

You do not enroll in Tricare For Life through a separate process. Instead, you must enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B during your Initial Enrollment Period, which begins three months before the month you turn 65 and ends three months after. Contact Social Security or Medicare.gov to enroll in Parts A and B.

Once you are enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, contact Tricare to confirm your TFL status. You can call the Tricare beneficiary services line or log into your Tricare online account. Tricare will verify your Medicare enrollment and set up TFL automatically if you meet the may be able to access rules. No separate TFL process is required.

If you miss the Medicare enrollment window, you will face a late enrollment penalty on your Part B premium for as long as you have Medicare. You may also lose TFL coverage temporarily. Enroll in Medicare as soon as you realize the mistake; Tricare can usually restore TFL once your Medicare enrollment is processed.

Tricare For Life and other coverage

If you are still working past age 65 and have employer health insurance, you can keep that coverage and use it as primary. Medicare and TFL would then be secondary. This is allowed and sometimes makes sense if your employer plan is generous. However, you must still enroll in Medicare Parts A and B to keep TFL active, even if you do not use Medicare while you are working.

If you have Veterans Affairs (VA) coverage, you can use both VA and Tricare For Life. They do not conflict. You choose which to use for each visit based on which offers better coverage or shorter wait times for that particular service. Some retirees use VA for primary care and TFL for specialists or urgent care.

Tricare For Life does not cover long-term care, dental care, or vision care beyond routine eye exams. If you need those services, you must purchase separate coverage or pay out of pocket. Some retirees add a dental or vision plan through AARP or another private insurer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to enroll in Medicare Part D if I have Tricare For Life?

No. Tricare covers prescription drugs through its own pharmacy program, so you do not need Part D. In fact, if you enroll in Part D while you have TFL, you will pay Part D premiums for coverage you do not use. Do not enroll in Part D unless you lose TFL coverage.

What happens to my Tricare For Life if I move out of the country?

Tricare For Life is available worldwide. You can use it in any country where Medicare-approved providers exist. However, coverage rules vary by country, and some services may not be covered abroad. Contact Tricare before moving to understand what coverage will look like in your new location.

Can I switch from Tricare For Life to a Medigap plan later?

No. Once you are may be able to access for Tricare For Life, you cannot purchase a Medigap policy. If you want to drop TFL, you would need to lose your military beneficiary status, which is not possible for retirees. TFL is your only secondary coverage option for life.

Does Tricare For Life cover the Medicare Part B deductible?

No. You pay the Part B deductible out of pocket. This is one area where some Medigap plans offer better coverage. The Part B deductible changes yearly but is typically around $240.

What if a provider refuses to accept Tricare For Life?

Providers who accept Medicare must accept Tricare For Life as secondary coverage. If a provider refuses, contact Tricare to report it. However, out-of-network providers can bill you for amounts above the Tricare allowable charge, so using in-network providers is important to avoid surprise bills.