Tricare for Retirees

Tricare for Retirees – Overview

Tricare offers multiple healthcare options for retirees and their families who lose military healthcare benefits.

You are eligible for these programs when you retire from active duty. However, you may not be able to experience these benefits once you reach the age of 65. To continue using these services, you must buy Medicare and Tricare for Life plans.

What are the different plans that Tricare offers for retirees?

Here are a few health plan options that Tricare offers for retirees –

1. Tricare Prime

You can buy this Tricare Prime coverage after your retirement. It offers health benefits to you and your family. You need to pay yearly enrollment fees and copay for some treatments.

2. Tricare Select

You can purchase their Tricare Select plan after you retire. You only need to pay $150 per person to receive these benefits. Each retiree, however, is only eligible to pay $300 for his family and receive coverage for three people.

3. US Family Health Plan

You must pay annual enrollment fees to receive US Family Health Plan. You may also need to copay for specific treatment services.

4. Tricare Retired Reserve

The Tricare Retired Reserve plan is available to retired Reservists or Guards and their families. However, they are only eligible to purchase the coverage plan until they reach the age of 60. They have to make some copayments for treatments and pay annual registration fees.

5. Tricare for Life

This plan is for retirees and their families who are more than 65 years old. This program offers health coverage in the US and most overseas locations.

6. Medicare

Medicare offers health coverage only in the US for older people who are 65 or older. However, people with disabilities or critical renal conditions can apply for this program under age 65.

Dental Coverage

FEDVIP, or Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Program, is a voluntary insurance program sponsored by the Office of Personnel Management, or OPM.

If you meet their eligibility criteria, you can choose your dental insurance company from ten different options.

With FEDVIP, you may be able to choose a dental plan and carrier. They offer the following dental plans for their customers –

• Delta Dental
• Aetna dental
• Emblem Health
• Dominion dental
• GEHA
• FEP Blue Dental
• Met life
• Humana
• United Concordia Dental
• Triple-S Salud

You can update, change, end, or begin your coverage after experiencing some major life events like –

• Loss of other dental coverage
• Marriage
• Losing someone in the family
• Gaining a new member in your family
• Other reasons

Your children can receive the benefits until they are 22 years old. Your family members can keep receiving coverage even after your death.

Vision coverage

Retirees and their family members can buy vision coverage through the Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Program or FEDVIP. To receive these benefits you need to enroll in any Tricare health plan.

Some of these programs offer huge discounts or free eye examinations and corrective lenses.

Pharmacy benefits

Tricare also has a pharmacy program for retirees that allows them to get prescription drugs in a simple, secure, and cost-effective way.

People who choose maintenance medications can receive home delivery under the Tricare Maintenance Medications Program. They can also obtain their refills from a military pharmacy.

Medicare

Medicare offers multiple health coverages for people who are 65 or older and have received payments into the system. Younger people with disabilities may also apply for this program.

The eligible individuals must have Medicare Part B coverage to continue receiving Medicare benefits after retirement.

What services are not covered by Tricare?

After your retirement, you may not receive specific health coverage from Tricare –

• Hearing aids
• Eye examinations except under Tricare Prime Plan
• Tricare’s extended care health program for your family
• Chiropractic care

What is the cost of Tricare Programs for retirees?

If you are an active officer, you do not have to pay much for Tricare health coverage programs. However, the cost may be slightly higher after retirement.

• You have to pay a yearly enrollment fee for Tricare Select Group B and Tricare Prime
• Compartments under Tricare Prime
• Higher copayments under the Tricare Select program
• Catastrophic copayments may increase from $1000 per family.
• If you or your sponsor first enlisted before January 1, 2018, you are in Group A. You need to pay $3000 a year for your family.
• If you are not in Group A, you are in Group B and must pay $3500 per family per year.

Conclusion

Tricare has multiple programs and coverage plans for retired employees and their families. However, you must purchase specific insurance plans for your family to continue receiving Tricare benefits after retirement.

You should start planning for retirement during your final few years as an active employee; it will help you deal with the situation more effectively.

FAQs

See Also

Who is Eligible for Tricare?

Does Walgreens Take Tricare?

Does Walgreens Deliver Prescriptions?

Does Tricare Cover Dental?

What is Catastrophic Cap for Tricare?

Financial Help for Seniors on Social Security