Veteran’s Benefits and Medicare – What you Need to Know

I recently heard a pretty good podcast addressing Veteran's ("VA") benefits and the common misconception that those with VA benefits do not need Medicare or do not need a Medicare Supplement. I encourage you to see some of these resources, as well as listen to this podcast on the topic. The bottom line is that VA benefits is considered creditable coverage for Part D. This means that if a senior gets their drugs all from the VA, they do not, necessarily have to have a Part D drug plan. Many have found that it is in their best interest to get one, though. From MaximizeYourMedicare podcast: This is the podcast audio you can hear.. a little dry, but good information. VA Benefits Podcast From VA.gov: What would happen if you drop your Medicare Part B coverage? (You should not!) If you cancel your Medicare Part B Coverage, you need to know that you cannot be reinstated until January of the following year, AND you may be penalized for reinstatement. For these reasons, VA encourages you to keep your private health insurance. __________________ Tricare and Medicare (Those on TriCare do not need a Medicare Supplement.) http://www.tricare.mil/~/media/Files/TRICARE/Publications/FactSheets/TRI_Med_Turning65_FS.pdf __________________ You can have both Medicare and Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. However, Medicare and VA benefits do not work together. Medicare does not pay for any care that you receive at a VA facility. In order for Medicare to cover your care, you must receive care at a Medicare-certified facility that works with your Medicare coverage. In order for your VA coverage to cover your care, you must generally receive health care services at a VA facility. Medicare Part B and VA Coverage: Many veterans use their VA health benefits to get coverage for health care services and items not covered by Medicare, such as over-the-counter medications, annual physical exams and hearing aids. However, you may want to consider enrolling into Medicare Part B (medical insurance), even if you have VA coverage. Part B may cover services you receive from Medicare-certified providers and provide you with medical coverage outside the VA health system. In addition, if you do not enroll into Part B when you are first eligible to do so, you will most likely incur a Part B premium penalty for each 12-month period you were without Medicare Part B coverage. In addition, you may also experience gaps in coverage. Medicare Part D and VA Coverage: Some veterans only use their VA drug coverage to get their medications, since VA drug coverage may offer more generous prescription drug coverage than Medicare Part D, the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Since VA drug coverage is considered creditable, meaning it is as good as or better than the Medicare prescription drug benefit, you can delay enrolling into Medicare Part D without penalty. If you do lose VA drug coverage, make sure you enroll into a Part D plan within 63 days of losing your VA benefits. Note that although you can have both Medicare Part D and VA drug coverage, the two do notwork together. VA benefits only cover the drugs you get from VA pharmacies and Part D plans usually only cover drugs you get from pharmacies that are within the plan’s network. You may want to join a Part D plan in certain situations. You may want to enroll in a plan if you move into a nursing home outside of the VA health system and need coverage for medications from the nursing home pharmacy. You may also want to enroll in a Part D plan if you qualify for Extra Help, the federal assistance program that helps people with Medicare afford their Part D drug costs. If you have questions about VA benefits and coverage, contact the VA Health Administration Center at 1-800-733-8387 or 1-877-222-VETS (877-222-8387).

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