Jump to content
VA Disability Community via Hadit.com

VA Disability Claims Articles

Ask Your VA Claims Question | Current Forum Posts Search | Rules | View All Forums
VA Disability Articles | Chats and Other Events | Donate | Blogs | New Users

  • hohomepage-banner-2024-2.png

  • 27-year-anniversary-leaderboard.png

    advice-disclaimer.jpg

  • donate-be-a-hero.png

  • 0

Tricare, Medicare Va Ss Disability

Rate this question


Dano50

Question

Hi, I'm going to start getting Medicare of 3/2013 and will be 60 years old. I wanted to know if anyone on this web site uses another plan like United Healthcare AARP PPO with their Tricare. I talked to a Medicare lady tonight and was advised to search out further answers but she has experienced a lot of VETS us plain old Medicare with no additional plan and use plain ofld MEdicare. I do use the VA as I have been rated as if I was 100 percent disabled. Do not need prescription help but I was wondering if anyone can comment of what they know. Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Answers 10
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters For This Question

Top Posters For This Question

Recommended Posts

My 60 YO wife is on SS and Medicare. We of coarse have TRICARE standard. It appears to me that the Tricare acts like a suppliment as Medicare is billed first, then Tricare has always picked up the rest. Seems to work for us.

Hope this helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well like Dano I will be going on medicare 6/2013. I am going to convert my Blue Cross/Blue Shield as seconary to medicare. I will use the VA medical service as much as I can, but will rely on med/BCBS most of the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I retired from the Military and both my wife and I had Tricare Prime with a co-payment of $12 dollars. Shortly after I retired i recieved my social security so I was given Medicare as being my primary and tri-care as secondary. I no longer have a deductable nor a co-payment for tri-care, but my wife still has tri-care with a deductable and the $12 co-payment. Plus I also have VA health care for my service connected disabilities. I was told by tri-care that I had to except medicare in order to continue insurance through tri-care as a secondary. Hope this is helpful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks everyone. My understand is that I should use plain old Medicare (what the Govt. gives you without secondary insurance such as the AARP United Health Care Plan) with Tricare standard as secondary insurance. I use the VA in most cases since its only 3 miles away but would like to have someone who has a Medicare (supplement plan-Humana, UHC etc) and Tricare as second. My understanding as I am 60 is that some of these plans have gym memberships(silver sneakers) and would like to have that ability without paying for it. I will talk to the Tricare staff here at Mountain Home today but wanted to have anyone weigh in if they have this kind of combination. Thank you for all your response, as it is much appreciated and informative!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's what I found on Tricare site:

Tricare Help: Do we need a Medicare Advantage Plan?

By James E. Hamby Jr. - Special to Military Times

Posted : Thursday Jan 12, 2012 11:25:38 EST

Q. My wife and I have Tricare for Life and Medicare Parts A and B. I keep seeing commercials for Medicare Advantage plans. Should we get one of those as a backup?

A. Don’t be seduced by ads for Medicare Advantage plans. Those ads are written for civilians who don’t have two full-service insurance plans, as you and your wife have under Tricare for Life. Most of the extras, if not all of them, are already yours through Tricare Standard, which comes free with TFL and acts as a Medicare supplement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator

I am not sure I agree with Mr. Humby when he said,

Don’t be seduced by ads for Medicare Advantage plans. Those ads are written for civilians who don’t have two full-service insurance plans, as you and your wife have under Tricare for Life. Most of the extras, if not all of them, are already yours through Tricare Standard, which comes free with TFL and acts as a Medicare supplement.

First, my wife has Champva, not tricare. BUT, I do know she wound up paying about $1000 last year for medical bills. You see, Champva only pays what Champva thinks its worth, not what the doc bills. Even tho it says the Veteran is not responsible for the rest, on the bottom of the champva notice, expect the medical provider to "come after you" for the rest anyway.

More importantly, at least some Medicare Advantage plans have a "0" premium. If you get a zero premium medicare advantage plan and you go to the doc, you dont have to go only to the lousy docs who only take medicare..you have many more choices. More choices is better, even tho some people can not make up their mind.

Medicare makes up your mind for you!! The default is to medicare, that is, unless you send in the form and or go with a medicare advantage, then you are in medicare. There is a reason this is the default! Its just like Va benefits. The "default" is zero benefits. So if it takes the VA 20 years until you are dead to decide, then you get "zero" benefits.

My advice is to carefully weigh all your options, and not to listen to advice from someone who claims they are with the government and are there to help you.

I have graduated from H&K University (college of hard knocks), and have learned NOT to always trust the VA, so why would medicare be special?

Edited by broncovet
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines and Terms of Use