Q & A
I’m an Air Force retiree whose wife uses Medicare/Tricare for Life. All has gone well so far, but now her doctor says he’s going to stop taking Medicare on assignment and has suggested my wife might want to look into a Medicare Advantage plan. Doctors who accept Medicare assignment are fairly scarce in our area. Since TFL always pays last, how would it work if she joined a Medicare supplement or Part C plan?
Answer: Should your wife choose to go with a Medicare Part C plan, she would not lose eligibility for Tricare for Life, but the way her health care is paid for would change a bit.
If she signed up for a Part C plan, that company would provide Medicare Part A and B benefits, and your wife would still pay her regular Part B premiums (plus possibly an additional premium to the Medicare Part C company). Since she would still be paying Part B premiums, which is the bedrock requirement for TFL eligibility, she would not be shut out of Tricare. Read more…
Source: www.militarytimes.com, August 8, 2015
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