How Medicare works with VA benefits.
VA, TRICARE for Life, and CHAMPVA each interact with Medicare differently. Here is what every veteran should know.
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VA health care
VA health care is not Medicare — they cover different services in different places. VA care happens at VA facilities; Medicare covers care at any Medicare-accepting provider in the community.
Many veterans enroll in both. Part B becomes important if you want flexibility to use civilian providers. VA does not coordinate with Medicare at the same visit — services are billed to whichever covers that visit.
TRICARE for Life
TRICARE for Life is Medicare wraparound coverage for retired military and their eligible family members. You must be enrolled in Part A AND Part B to keep TRICARE for Life. If you delay Part B as a retiree, you can lose TRICARE for Life until you enroll.
CHAMPVA
CHAMPVA covers eligible spouses, children, and survivors of permanently disabled or deceased veterans. Like TRICARE for Life, it generally requires Part B enrollment to maintain.
What to ask your VA benefits counselor
- Do I need Part B to keep TRICARE for Life or CHAMPVA?
- If I delay Part B, what coverage gaps do I have?
- Am I eligible for VA Priority Group enrollment based on my service?
- Does my drug coverage through VA count as "creditable" for Part D late penalty purposes?
See also our late enrollment penalty guide.