Do I need to enroll in Medicare if I already have VA health benefits?
Answered by 6 licensed agents
That's a trick question and relies heavily on what your goals or even your benefit level with the VA is. If you live near a VA location or maybe you have Tricare the answer could be no you dont need to enroll in medicare. However if you receive limited benefits and do not have easy access to a VA location or maybe you want more private access to doctors and specialist versus government employees, you may want to get Medicare parts A and B and potentially even enroll into a Part C or medicare advantage plan. This doesn't remove your ability to go to the VA for care or prescriptions but can actually enhance your healthcare benefits and provide some really important benefits you may not be getting like dental, vision, gym memberships and so on all at no cost in most cases.
Part A will be awarded to you and Part B is optional for a premium based on your income. If you have VA coverage and the closest facility is a ways away. Having Medicare A&B with a Medicare Advantage plan $0 premium could be beneficial for convenience. Also, many plans include other benefits like dental, vision and over the counter allowances within the plan for no additional cost.
Yes and No. It depends. Veterans are encouraged to sign up for Part B (Medical coverage) even though it comes with a monthly premium. Veterans now gain access to all the civilian doctors and specialists that they might otherwise not have access to. They also gain more benefits from a Medicare Advantage plan, also known as Part C, that they would not be able to have at the VA clinic. So a Veteran does not need to enroll in Medicare, but they miss out on many benefits that they could have otherwise.
While it’s not necessary to sign up for Medicare, you may face a permanent late enrollment penalty for not signing up when you are first eligible, should you want Medicare later on. The advantages of having VA and Medicare would allow you to see a civilian doctor outside of the VA. There are also Medicare advantage plans that are tailored to beneficiaries with Medicare and VA coverage!
It depends if you use civilian coverage or civilian pharmacies you will need coverage. If you use the VA and just want a break on your Part B premium or dental, most carriers offer those options in addition to your VA coverage.
Although you are not required to have Medicare parts A and B to utilize your VA health benefits, without Medicare you are limited to using VA facilities and the providers that they approve. Having Medicare parts A and B along with a Medicare Advantage plan, allows you the freedom to have both VA benefits and the ability to use outside providers. Some Advantage plans are made specifically for service members and can often give you money back towards your Part B premium as well.
