If you are eligible for the TRICARE pharmacy benefit (that is, prescription drug coverage as part of TRICARE benefits), then you will already receive comprehensive drug coverage and may not need Medicare Part D coverage. As noted by TRICARE:
"Unlike many non-DoD Medicare beneficiaries, TRICARE beneficiaries already have a robust pharmacy benefit with no monthly premium and minimal copays for TRICARE retail network and TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy (TMOP) services and no costs for prescription drugs at military treatment facilities. If you have a question about the DoD TRICARE Retail Pharmacy (TRRx) program, please call 1-866-363-8779."Typically you cannot use both a Medicare Part D drug plan and other drug coverage. However, if you have TRICARE you are allowed to also enroll in a Medicare Part D plan (paying the Part D plan's monthly premiums, deductibles, and drug copays) and have TRICARE help cover the additional cost of your TRICARE prescriptions. As noted by TRICARE:
"If you choose to purchase a prescription drug plan that adds prescription coverage to the Original Medicare plan, Medicare is primary and TRICARE, as second payer, will pay your out-of-pocket expenses (deductible and cost shares) for TRICARE-covered medications. TRICARE will not reimburse you for the monthly Medicare Part D premiums."
In addition:
- If you are now entitled to TRICARE, your coverage will not change when you become eligible for a Medicare Part D plan.
- If you decide that TRICARE drug coverage meets your needs, you can choose not to join a Medicare drug plan and save the monthly Medicare Part D premium costs. Since TRICARE prescription drug coverage is considered creditable drug coverage (at least as good as Medicare drug coverage), so if you decide you want to join a Medicare drug plan after you are first eligible, you won't have to pay a late enrollment penalty if you join within 63 days of involuntarily losing your TRICARE coverage.
- If you want to join a Medicare drug plan, you must wait for a valid Medicare enrollment period.
- If you have TRICARE coverage and you choose to disenroll from your Medicare drug plan, you get a Medicare special enrollment period to do so.
- Although you can have both TRICARE and a Medicare drug plan, the Medicare drug plan will always pay first for Medicare-covered drugs. TRICARE will then pay for TRICARE-covered drugs. Please contact the TRICARE Pharmacy Program at 1-877-363-6337 for more information. To use the TRICARE Mail Order Program, call 1-866-363-8667, or for the TRICARE Retail Network Pharmacy Program, call 1-866-363-8779.
- For additional information, please contact TRICARE at 1-888-363-5433. TTY users should call 1-877-535-6778.
Primary Source:
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs