When you have Tricare for Life and Medicare, Medicare is the primary coverage that gets billed first. Tricare for Life is secondary.

After Medicare pays its share, the rest of the claim is sent to Tricare for Life to cover, which typically includes Medicare’s out-of-pocket costs, like deductibles and copayments. This is why you won’t need a Medigap policy.

Not everything is covered. If you use a medical service that Medicare covers but Tricare for Life doesn’t, like some chiropractic care, Tricare for Life won’t pay anything toward the bill. In that case, you will have to pay what Medicare doesn’t.

If Tricare for Life covers something that Medicare doesn’t, such as health care outside the U.S., Tricare for Life pays the same rate as regular Tricare. You pay any deductibles and copayments.

Do I need to sign up for Part D if I have Tricare for Life?

When you’re enrolled in Tricare for Life, you have prescription drug coverage under the Tricare pharmacy program, which is considered “creditable coverage.” That means you won’t have to pay a late enrollment penalty if you have that coverage instead of Part D.

If you purchase a Part D prescription drug plan while covered by Tricare for Life, the Part D policy pays first. The Tricare pharmacy program pays second for Tricare-covered medicine.