TRICARE For Life (TFL) is Medicare-wraparound coverage available to:

• Medicare-eligible uniformed service retirees, including retired guard members and reservists,
• Medicare-eligible family members and widows/widowers (dependent parents and parents-in-law are excluded),
• Medicare-eligible Congressional Medal of Honor recipients and their family members
• Certain Medicare-eligible unremarried former spouses.

Is your Information Updated in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS)?

To take advantage of TFL, you and your eligible family members' information must be up-to-date in DEERS. You may update your information by phone or by visiting your nearest ID card issuing facility. Visit www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl to locate the nearest ID card facility.

Medicare Part B Requirements for TFL

To participate in the TFL program, you must be entitled to Medicare Part A and enrolled in Medicare Part B. A Medicare-eligible beneficiary who is a family member of an active duty service member (ADSM) is NOT required to purchase Part B. However, when the ADSM retires, the Medicare-eligible beneficiary is required to purchase Medicare Part B.

Medicare Part B Penalty Waiver and Special Enrollment Period

The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 makes two very important changes relating to enrollment in Medicare Part B for certain uniformed services beneficiaries. First, it eliminates the Medicare Part B surcharge for uniformed services beneficiaries who were subject to a higher premium (currently paying more than $78.20 a month) for enrolling in Part B during the years 2001 to 2004.

Second, the legislation provides the opportunity for uniformed services beneficiaries who are entitled to Medicare Part A but are not enrolled in Medicare Part B to enroll in Part B without a premium surcharge. For more information, please visit the TRICARE For Life and Medicare Part B page.

Costs

There are no TRICARE enrollment fees or TRICARE annual premiums; you must (if other than an active duty family member) pay your monthly Medicare Part B premium. With TFL, if your only health insurance program is Medicare (Part A and Part B), TRICARE acts as second payer to Medicare. TRICARE pays your remaining out-of- pocket expenses (Medicare deductibles and cost shares) for services paid by Medicare and covered by TRICARE. If the service received is not a covered service under TRICARE, you are responsible for paying the Medicare deductibles, cost-shares, co-payments, and/or other fees associated with having received that service. Also, if the service is authorized by TRICARE but not authorized by Medicare, there maybe an associated TRICARE deductible and cost-share.

TFL Claims

The TRICARE Dual-Eligible Fiscal Intermediary Contract (TDEFIC) is a single, nationwide contract for claims processing, customer service and administrative services for individuals who are dually eligible for TRICARE and Medicare, regardless of whether they are over or under age 65. TRICARE Management Activity awarded this contract to Wisconsin Physicians Service (WPS) of Madison, Wisconsin. You may call WPS TRICARE For Life (TFL) at 1-866-773-0404 for assistance.

For more information on TFL benefit, the following resources are available to you:

Fact Sheet: Dual Eligibility and TRICARE For Life
TRICARE For Life Brochure
TFL Claims Processors
TFL Cost Matrix
English
Spanish

TRICARE For Life News Releases
Federal Register Interim Final Rule for TFL
   Online Version (html)
   Print Version (pdf)

Federal Register Interim final rule for FEHBP
   Online Version (html)
   Print Version (pdf)

FAQ Database