Ssdi/tricare/medicare Part B

[Raven]

HOPE SOMEONE CAN GIVE ME ADVICE- I JUST FILED FOR SSDI AND ON MY APPLICATION IT STATED I DID NOT WANT MEDICARE PART B. I AND MY FAMILY ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN TRICARE PRIME ($460 A YEAR)

SHOULD I CONTACT THE SSA AND TELL THEM I DO WANT MEDICARE PART B? IS IT A BETTER INSURANSE?

SOMEONE TOLD ME I SHOULD TAKE IT AND KEEP MY TRICARE PRIME AS A SECONDARY- BUT I AM NOT SURE WHAT IS BEST NOR WHO MUCH THE MEDICARE WILL COST. CAN I ELECT THE MEDICARE AT A LATER DATE?

I AM CONFUSED- PLEASE HELP- ANY COMMENTS WELCOME

RAVEN (90% SC- HOPE TO BE 100% ANY DAY)

[Pete53]

Alan Tricare is for retired military and their families.

[mssoup1]

Medicare B is now $88.50 per month now. But, as I understand it, Medicare B is going to go up to almost $100.00 starting in January. As usual, you get a COL raise in your Medicare and then your insurance cost for Medicare B goes up more than the COL increase that you get.

I do know that while you are talking about Tricare, if you apply for Champva, you have to carry Medicare Part B, but are not required to carry Medicare Part D. I currently have Medicare (primary), Blue Cross (secondary) and now Champva. I hope that Champva picks up any of my co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses that I have been paying in the past. I think this is the way it happens.

mssoup1

[Guest rickb54]

Raven,

The law says if your are eligable for part B, and you have tricare then you must purchase part B medicare.

The law further states if you fail to take part B than you lose Tricare.

If you have a family your cost for tricare will drop to $57.50 a month when you have Medicare part B.

The bottom line is you have no choice if you want to contuine using tricare.

The fact is it will now cost you an arm and a leg to have medical coverage because you are disabled or on social security, what a privliage!!!!

Medicare part B will become your primary insurance, and tricare secondary.( this means no out of pocket expences in most cases)

Tricare will still be the primary insurance for your family.( still pay normal out of pocket for family members.)

Raven this law only applies the retired military member is the one who is authorized medicare part B, . It does not apply to spouse of retiree, if the spouse is the one who can have medicare part B, althought if a spouse took the medicare part b it work the same way.

Edited August 9, 2006 by rickb54