Wondering what comes next as you age? Once you turn 65, there will be some changes to your healthcare coverage. Thinking about these changes ahead of time will help you address them more easily once the time comes. You can start by looking into TRICARE and Medicare coverage to better understand the options you’ll have and the decisions you’ll have to make.
If you maintain either TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select coverage once you retire from the military, when you turn 65 and become Medicare eligible, your TRICARE coverage will change to TRICARE for Life (TFL).
Medicare will be your primary healthcare coverage and TFL will be secondary. However, you must first enroll in Medicare Part B (healthcare coverage) to retain TFL. For many people, Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) was already paid for through your Medicare deductions while you worked. Medicare Part B requires premium payments, which are based on your annual federal income tax returns.
Medicare Enrollment
To avoid late enrollment penalties and gaps in your healthcare coverage, you should start the Medicare enrollment process three months before you turn 65. However, Medicare enrollment may be delayed without a penalty if you have healthcare coverage through an employer. For more information about Medicare costs, enrollment options and other information, visit https://www.medicare.gov/.
Coverage Outside the United States
If you intend to live or travel overseas, you should know that Medicare only covers you within the United States and U.S. Territories. You still must carry Medicare Part B even if you live outside of the U.S.
TFL coverage is available worldwide and will be your primary payer outside of the U.S. To ensure you have this coverage, you will be responsible for paying TRICARE’s annual deductible and cost shares. To learn about TRICARE coverage, visit: https://www.tricare.mil/Plans/HealthPlans/TFL.
More Retirement Information
For information on additional topics you need to consider in preparing your military retirement, see the following:
If you have questions, please contact an AAFMAA (American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association) Member Benefits Representative at 888-541-0897 select option 2, then option 2 again or [email protected].