Medicare-Eligible Beneficiaries

You must have Medicare Part B if:

• You're eligible for Medicare, and
• You turned 65 on or after April 1, 2001

If you don’t enroll in Medicare Part B, you can only get your prescriptions filled at military pharmacies.

Medicare Part D

Medicare's prescription drug plan, Medicare Part D, is available to anyone who's eligible for Medicare Part A or Part B. 

TRICARE is Creditable Coverage

TRICARE is creditable prescription drug coverage . This means you won’t pay extra if you decide to enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan after your Initial Enrollment Period.

When you become eligible for Medicare Part D:

• You'll receive a letter in the mail. 
• It will explain how your TRICARE prescription drug plan works with Medicare Part D.  
• Keep this letter for your records.  
• You may need it to show that you don’t have to pay extra if you decide to enroll in Medicare Part D. 

Medicare Part D Not Required

You don't need to enroll in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan to keep your TRICARE benefits. For most TRICARE beneficiaries, there's almost NO advantage to enrolling in a Medicare prescription drug plan. Before deciding whether or not to enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan, you should compare it with your TRICARE prescription drug plan. Be sure to compare:

• Monthly premiums
• Deductibles
• Copayments
• Drug coverage

If you do decide to enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan:

• TRICARE will pay second after Medicare.
• You can enroll during your Medicare Initial Enrollment Period or the Medicare Open Enrollment Period each year.
• The Open Enrollment Period is Oct. 15–Dec. 7, with prescription drug coverage beginning the next January 1.

For More Information

• Visit the Medicare website.
• Download Your Guide to Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage.

Note: Beneficiaries who live overseas (non-U.S. territories) or who are in prison aren’t eligible for Medicare Part D.