Tricare Help: Retired and on Tricare

Q. I qualified for Tricare Standard last year when I turned 60 and began collecting Air Force Reserve retirement pay. I will qualify for Tricare for Life when I turn 65 in 2020. My wife is almost exactly one year older and will be turning 65 well before I, a young and spry 64, will become eligible for Medicare and Tricare for Life. Does she have to wait for me to turn 65 to apply for Medicare and Medicare Part B with Tricare for Life, or does she qualify when she turns 65?

A. Since you are retired, your wife will be eligible for whatever plan is age-appropriate for her, which, when she turns 65, is Medicare and Tricare for Life, even though you don’t make the transition for another year. As you already know, enrollment in Medicare Part B is required to be eligible for Tricare for Life.

Q. My husband retired a few months ago and my college-age son will be spending a semester abroad next year. He is on Tricare Prime in the States. What are his options when he is overseas?

A. Tricare Standard Overseas is the program that will cover your child while he is overseas. While Tricare Prime Overseas does exist, it is available only to active-duty, activated Guard and reserve members and command-sponsored families in populated areas. Retirees, family members and others use Tricare Standard Overseas. Enrollment in the program is not required, but the beneficiary must be in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, DEERS, and should have a valid Defense Department ID card that reflects the sponsor's current status. Tricare publishes a list of medical assistance phone numbers for overseas geographic locations and recommends that beneficiaries call before seeking care. While referrals usually aren't necessary, some services may require prior authorization. Beneficiaries should be aware they may have to pay the provider in full when they receive care and file for reimbursement. For more information on Tricare programs overseas, on the contractor that manages the program — International SOS Government Services — or to access lists of providers by country, check out the Tricare overseas website.