Advantage For Veterans
Veterans that have coverage through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are not required to enroll for Medicare.
But they may have good reasons to do so. Having both Medicare Advantage for Veterans and VA benefits can significantly widen your coverage.
Medicare and VA Benefits
It is important to note that Medicare Advantage plans and VA benefits are entirely separate plans, even though they are both government health programs.
VA benefits only cover healthcare at VA hospitals, while Medicare plans only cover care at Medicare-approved health facilities. So, both coverages don’t overlap.
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How Medicare and VA Work Together
VA will help those with VA healthcare coverage by paying for doctor visits, visits to a VA facility, and prescriptions from VA providers. On the other hand, Medicare can help pay for any prescriptions and services from non-VA healthcare facilities and providers.
There may be times when both Medicare and VA benefits will pay for services. This can happen when the beneficiary goes to a non-VA facility for a VA approved treatment or service but requires additional treatment that is not covered by VA coverage. Medicare can help take care of some of those extra costs.
How to Enroll in Medicare
Veterans approaching age 65 can enroll in Medicare during the Initial Enrollment Period (IEP). Enrollment in Medicare Part A and Part B (Original Medicare) starts three months before the beneficiary turns 65 and ends three months after they turn 65. Those who did not enroll during the Initial Enrollment Period or want to make changes to their existing coverage can do so during the Open Enrollment Period, which starts from January 1 to March 31 every year.
Ready For A Quote?How Medicare Works with TRICARE
TRICARE is the military’s medical insurance provider that is broken down into several different plans based on the beneficiary military status. Some of the plans offered by TRICARE include TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Prime Overseas, TRICARE Prime Remote, TRICARE Prime Remote Overseas, US Family Health Plan, TRICARE Young Adult, TRICARE For Life, TRICARE Select, TRICARE Select Overseas, TRICARE Retired Reserve, TRICARE Reserve Select.
Those who retire from military service and have reached the age of 65 will be eligible for TRICARE for Life when they enroll in Original Medicare.
It is important to note that Medicare Advantage plans are not created equal. There are PPO plans, HMO plans, those that cover drug benefits, and plans that don’t include prescription coverage. Fortunately, our team of health insurance experts at Montgomery Senior Insurance is here to help answer any VA benefits and Medicare-related questions. Get in touch with us today!