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Anyone have Tricare and Medicare

julie

New member
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>JazzysMom</b></i>

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>thefrogprincess</b></i>

If you have Tricare for life why not dump the medicare?</end quote></div>

My understanding (correct me if I am wrong please) is that BECAUSE of her Medicare that makes Tricare secondary, but she has it for life!

UNLIKE with my husbands insurance. Even tho I have Medicare as long as he is working his coverage is primary. My Medicare becomes primary ONLY if he is not longer actively working.</end quote></div>

Unfortunately "Tricare for life" doesn't mean you get it for life. Tricare for life is the "crappy" coverage that they offer to retiree's/disabled members of the military and their family still entitled to benefits, AND/OR anyone who is recieving medicare benefits, EVEN if that person is the dependent of an ACTIVE DUTY member. (If you ask me, their rules/regulations regarding this are just moronic!)

Jessi, you can only get Tricare for life with an active duty sponsor if you are on medicare. The better suggestion would be for her to drop her medicare all together and get back on tricare prime.

ALISH, IF YOU DISENROLL FROM MEDICARE, YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO/CANNOT STAY WITH TRICARE FOR LIFE. YOU WILL BE ROLLED BACK OVER TO TRICARE PRIME (OR STANDARD IF THAT'S WHAT YOU CHOOSE).
YOU CAN ONLY BE ON TRICARE FOR LIFE IF YOU ARE 1. THE DEPENDENT OF A RETIRED OR DECEASED MEMBER OF THE MILITARY WHO IS ENTITLED TO CONTINUED MEDICAL BENEFITS
2. A RETIRED MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES ENTITLED TO MEDICAL BENEFITS
3. A DEPENDENT OF ACTIVE DUTY OR RETIRED MILITARY MEMBER, WHO IS RECIEVING MEDICARE BENEFITS.

Currently you fall into cagetory 3. If you get rid of your medicare (which you CAN do, believe me, I did it for Mark) benefits, you won't meet the criteria for this tricare for life coverage and will be put back on tricare standard or prime. PM me if you want to chat more, I work in the medical dept. on base and we deal with this a lot.
 

julie

New member
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>JazzysMom</b></i>

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>thefrogprincess</b></i>

If you have Tricare for life why not dump the medicare?</end quote></div>

My understanding (correct me if I am wrong please) is that BECAUSE of her Medicare that makes Tricare secondary, but she has it for life!

UNLIKE with my husbands insurance. Even tho I have Medicare as long as he is working his coverage is primary. My Medicare becomes primary ONLY if he is not longer actively working.</end quote></div>

Unfortunately "Tricare for life" doesn't mean you get it for life. Tricare for life is the "crappy" coverage that they offer to retiree's/disabled members of the military and their family still entitled to benefits, AND/OR anyone who is recieving medicare benefits, EVEN if that person is the dependent of an ACTIVE DUTY member. (If you ask me, their rules/regulations regarding this are just moronic!)

Jessi, you can only get Tricare for life with an active duty sponsor if you are on medicare. The better suggestion would be for her to drop her medicare all together and get back on tricare prime.

ALISH, IF YOU DISENROLL FROM MEDICARE, YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO/CANNOT STAY WITH TRICARE FOR LIFE. YOU WILL BE ROLLED BACK OVER TO TRICARE PRIME (OR STANDARD IF THAT'S WHAT YOU CHOOSE).
YOU CAN ONLY BE ON TRICARE FOR LIFE IF YOU ARE 1. THE DEPENDENT OF A RETIRED OR DECEASED MEMBER OF THE MILITARY WHO IS ENTITLED TO CONTINUED MEDICAL BENEFITS
2. A RETIRED MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES ENTITLED TO MEDICAL BENEFITS
3. A DEPENDENT OF ACTIVE DUTY OR RETIRED MILITARY MEMBER, WHO IS RECIEVING MEDICARE BENEFITS.

Currently you fall into cagetory 3. If you get rid of your medicare (which you CAN do, believe me, I did it for Mark) benefits, you won't meet the criteria for this tricare for life coverage and will be put back on tricare standard or prime. PM me if you want to chat more, I work in the medical dept. on base and we deal with this a lot.
 

julie

New member
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>JazzysMom</b></i>

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>thefrogprincess</b></i>

If you have Tricare for life why not dump the medicare?</end quote></div>

My understanding (correct me if I am wrong please) is that BECAUSE of her Medicare that makes Tricare secondary, but she has it for life!

UNLIKE with my husbands insurance. Even tho I have Medicare as long as he is working his coverage is primary. My Medicare becomes primary ONLY if he is not longer actively working.</end quote></div>

Unfortunately "Tricare for life" doesn't mean you get it for life. Tricare for life is the "crappy" coverage that they offer to retiree's/disabled members of the military and their family still entitled to benefits, AND/OR anyone who is recieving medicare benefits, EVEN if that person is the dependent of an ACTIVE DUTY member. (If you ask me, their rules/regulations regarding this are just moronic!)

Jessi, you can only get Tricare for life with an active duty sponsor if you are on medicare. The better suggestion would be for her to drop her medicare all together and get back on tricare prime.

ALISH, IF YOU DISENROLL FROM MEDICARE, YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO/CANNOT STAY WITH TRICARE FOR LIFE. YOU WILL BE ROLLED BACK OVER TO TRICARE PRIME (OR STANDARD IF THAT'S WHAT YOU CHOOSE).
YOU CAN ONLY BE ON TRICARE FOR LIFE IF YOU ARE 1. THE DEPENDENT OF A RETIRED OR DECEASED MEMBER OF THE MILITARY WHO IS ENTITLED TO CONTINUED MEDICAL BENEFITS
2. A RETIRED MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES ENTITLED TO MEDICAL BENEFITS
3. A DEPENDENT OF ACTIVE DUTY OR RETIRED MILITARY MEMBER, WHO IS RECIEVING MEDICARE BENEFITS.

Currently you fall into cagetory 3. If you get rid of your medicare (which you CAN do, believe me, I did it for Mark) benefits, you won't meet the criteria for this tricare for life coverage and will be put back on tricare standard or prime. PM me if you want to chat more, I work in the medical dept. on base and we deal with this a lot.
 

julie

New member
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>JazzysMom</b></i>

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>thefrogprincess</b></i>

If you have Tricare for life why not dump the medicare?</end quote>

My understanding (correct me if I am wrong please) is that BECAUSE of her Medicare that makes Tricare secondary, but she has it for life!

UNLIKE with my husbands insurance. Even tho I have Medicare as long as he is working his coverage is primary. My Medicare becomes primary ONLY if he is not longer actively working.</end quote>

Unfortunately "Tricare for life" doesn't mean you get it for life. Tricare for life is the "crappy" coverage that they offer to retiree's/disabled members of the military and their family still entitled to benefits, AND/OR anyone who is recieving medicare benefits, EVEN if that person is the dependent of an ACTIVE DUTY member. (If you ask me, their rules/regulations regarding this are just moronic!)

Jessi, you can only get Tricare for life with an active duty sponsor if you are on medicare. The better suggestion would be for her to drop her medicare all together and get back on tricare prime.

ALISH, IF YOU DISENROLL FROM MEDICARE, YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO/CANNOT STAY WITH TRICARE FOR LIFE. YOU WILL BE ROLLED BACK OVER TO TRICARE PRIME (OR STANDARD IF THAT'S WHAT YOU CHOOSE).
YOU CAN ONLY BE ON TRICARE FOR LIFE IF YOU ARE 1. THE DEPENDENT OF A RETIRED OR DECEASED MEMBER OF THE MILITARY WHO IS ENTITLED TO CONTINUED MEDICAL BENEFITS
2. A RETIRED MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES ENTITLED TO MEDICAL BENEFITS
3. A DEPENDENT OF ACTIVE DUTY OR RETIRED MILITARY MEMBER, WHO IS RECIEVING MEDICARE BENEFITS.

Currently you fall into cagetory 3. If you get rid of your medicare (which you CAN do, believe me, I did it for Mark) benefits, you won't meet the criteria for this tricare for life coverage and will be put back on tricare standard or prime. PM me if you want to chat more, I work in the medical dept. on base and we deal with this a lot.
 

julie

New member
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>JazzysMom</b></i>
<br />
<br /><div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>thefrogprincess</b></i>
<br />
<br />If you have Tricare for life why not dump the medicare?</end quote>
<br />
<br />My understanding (correct me if I am wrong please) is that BECAUSE of her Medicare that makes Tricare secondary, but she has it for life!
<br />
<br />UNLIKE with my husbands insurance. Even tho I have Medicare as long as he is working his coverage is primary. My Medicare becomes primary ONLY if he is not longer actively working.</end quote>
<br />
<br />Unfortunately "Tricare for life" doesn't mean you get it for life. Tricare for life is the "crappy" coverage that they offer to retiree's/disabled members of the military and their family still entitled to benefits, AND/OR anyone who is recieving medicare benefits, EVEN if that person is the dependent of an ACTIVE DUTY member. (If you ask me, their rules/regulations regarding this are just moronic!)
<br />
<br />Jessi, you can only get Tricare for life with an active duty sponsor if you are on medicare. The better suggestion would be for her to drop her medicare all together and get back on tricare prime.
<br />
<br />ALISH, IF YOU DISENROLL FROM MEDICARE, YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO/CANNOT STAY WITH TRICARE FOR LIFE. YOU WILL BE ROLLED BACK OVER TO TRICARE PRIME (OR STANDARD IF THAT'S WHAT YOU CHOOSE).
<br />YOU CAN ONLY BE ON TRICARE FOR LIFE IF YOU ARE 1. THE DEPENDENT OF A RETIRED OR DECEASED MEMBER OF THE MILITARY WHO IS ENTITLED TO CONTINUED MEDICAL BENEFITS
<br />2. A RETIRED MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES ENTITLED TO MEDICAL BENEFITS
<br />3. A DEPENDENT OF ACTIVE DUTY OR RETIRED MILITARY MEMBER, WHO IS RECIEVING MEDICARE BENEFITS.
<br />
<br />Currently you fall into cagetory 3. If you get rid of your medicare (which you CAN do, believe me, I did it for Mark) benefits, you won't meet the criteria for this tricare for life coverage and will be put back on tricare standard or prime. PM me if you want to chat more, I work in the medical dept. on base and we deal with this a lot.
<br />
<br />
 

Liza

New member
Julie, Can't Alisha also request a case manager? We got one for Anna when she went for transplant eval. and kept her until she was post tx and went back to school in Jan. Even though we technically didn't need her anymore she has told us to give her a call anytime we need any help or have questions. She has been great and even gave her a call today to help out with Anna just getting her blood drawn for Prograff levels out of region. Now, Anna draws SSI but we have never used the Med. coverage that makes her eligible. Can't recall if it's medicare, medicaid or what. They are all confusing to me anyway. We have TriCare Prime and even though my husband is retired we didn't want to lose the benefits of TriCare. It's just too good. Have no idea what we are going to do when Anna hits 23. Know any single military guys out there looking for a wife? <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">Just kidding. Back to Medicare/Aid whichever... We never tried using it because we were afraid it would mess with our TriCare coverage and didn't want to take the chance. Just thought a case manager might help gets things straightened out and keep them that way. Ours was great.
 

Liza

New member
Julie, Can't Alisha also request a case manager? We got one for Anna when she went for transplant eval. and kept her until she was post tx and went back to school in Jan. Even though we technically didn't need her anymore she has told us to give her a call anytime we need any help or have questions. She has been great and even gave her a call today to help out with Anna just getting her blood drawn for Prograff levels out of region. Now, Anna draws SSI but we have never used the Med. coverage that makes her eligible. Can't recall if it's medicare, medicaid or what. They are all confusing to me anyway. We have TriCare Prime and even though my husband is retired we didn't want to lose the benefits of TriCare. It's just too good. Have no idea what we are going to do when Anna hits 23. Know any single military guys out there looking for a wife? <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">Just kidding. Back to Medicare/Aid whichever... We never tried using it because we were afraid it would mess with our TriCare coverage and didn't want to take the chance. Just thought a case manager might help gets things straightened out and keep them that way. Ours was great.
 

Liza

New member
Julie, Can't Alisha also request a case manager? We got one for Anna when she went for transplant eval. and kept her until she was post tx and went back to school in Jan. Even though we technically didn't need her anymore she has told us to give her a call anytime we need any help or have questions. She has been great and even gave her a call today to help out with Anna just getting her blood drawn for Prograff levels out of region. Now, Anna draws SSI but we have never used the Med. coverage that makes her eligible. Can't recall if it's medicare, medicaid or what. They are all confusing to me anyway. We have TriCare Prime and even though my husband is retired we didn't want to lose the benefits of TriCare. It's just too good. Have no idea what we are going to do when Anna hits 23. Know any single military guys out there looking for a wife? <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">Just kidding. Back to Medicare/Aid whichever... We never tried using it because we were afraid it would mess with our TriCare coverage and didn't want to take the chance. Just thought a case manager might help gets things straightened out and keep them that way. Ours was great.
 

Liza

New member
Julie, Can't Alisha also request a case manager? We got one for Anna when she went for transplant eval. and kept her until she was post tx and went back to school in Jan. Even though we technically didn't need her anymore she has told us to give her a call anytime we need any help or have questions. She has been great and even gave her a call today to help out with Anna just getting her blood drawn for Prograff levels out of region. Now, Anna draws SSI but we have never used the Med. coverage that makes her eligible. Can't recall if it's medicare, medicaid or what. They are all confusing to me anyway. We have TriCare Prime and even though my husband is retired we didn't want to lose the benefits of TriCare. It's just too good. Have no idea what we are going to do when Anna hits 23. Know any single military guys out there looking for a wife? <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">Just kidding. Back to Medicare/Aid whichever... We never tried using it because we were afraid it would mess with our TriCare coverage and didn't want to take the chance. Just thought a case manager might help gets things straightened out and keep them that way. Ours was great.
 

Liza

New member
Julie, Can't Alisha also request a case manager? We got one for Anna when she went for transplant eval. and kept her until she was post tx and went back to school in Jan. Even though we technically didn't need her anymore she has told us to give her a call anytime we need any help or have questions. She has been great and even gave her a call today to help out with Anna just getting her blood drawn for Prograff levels out of region. Now, Anna draws SSI but we have never used the Med. coverage that makes her eligible. Can't recall if it's medicare, medicaid or what. They are all confusing to me anyway. We have TriCare Prime and even though my husband is retired we didn't want to lose the benefits of TriCare. It's just too good. Have no idea what we are going to do when Anna hits 23. Know any single military guys out there looking for a wife? <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">Just kidding. Back to Medicare/Aid whichever... We never tried using it because we were afraid it would mess with our TriCare coverage and didn't want to take the chance. Just thought a case manager might help gets things straightened out and keep them that way. Ours was great.
<br />
<br />
 

Faust

New member
People on medicare are screwed. I have Freedom Health, which is supposedly one of the best you can have, and also does not have a "donut hole" to add further screwing to you. There are a ton of things (as you have seen) not covered by the main medicare plan that you have, so it reverts the coverage to the standard medicare plan. That plan covers 80% of most things, and then you have to pay the other 20%. This is why I have only used my medicare plan once for a doctors visit. Either fix our health care system to a universal system where people all pay a reasonable amount and everything is covered, or create a separate chronic/degenerative/catastrophic centered care plan where people like us don't have to pay $3000 if we need home infusion therapy.

We have very costly drugs, and I would have to pay around $700 for ONE box of pulmozyme via the standard medicare system. $1400 if I do the standard dose of 2 ampules per day. All out of pocket. I don't care what anyone says, that system is BROKEN.
 

Faust

New member
People on medicare are screwed. I have Freedom Health, which is supposedly one of the best you can have, and also does not have a "donut hole" to add further screwing to you. There are a ton of things (as you have seen) not covered by the main medicare plan that you have, so it reverts the coverage to the standard medicare plan. That plan covers 80% of most things, and then you have to pay the other 20%. This is why I have only used my medicare plan once for a doctors visit. Either fix our health care system to a universal system where people all pay a reasonable amount and everything is covered, or create a separate chronic/degenerative/catastrophic centered care plan where people like us don't have to pay $3000 if we need home infusion therapy.

We have very costly drugs, and I would have to pay around $700 for ONE box of pulmozyme via the standard medicare system. $1400 if I do the standard dose of 2 ampules per day. All out of pocket. I don't care what anyone says, that system is BROKEN.
 

Faust

New member
People on medicare are screwed. I have Freedom Health, which is supposedly one of the best you can have, and also does not have a "donut hole" to add further screwing to you. There are a ton of things (as you have seen) not covered by the main medicare plan that you have, so it reverts the coverage to the standard medicare plan. That plan covers 80% of most things, and then you have to pay the other 20%. This is why I have only used my medicare plan once for a doctors visit. Either fix our health care system to a universal system where people all pay a reasonable amount and everything is covered, or create a separate chronic/degenerative/catastrophic centered care plan where people like us don't have to pay $3000 if we need home infusion therapy.

We have very costly drugs, and I would have to pay around $700 for ONE box of pulmozyme via the standard medicare system. $1400 if I do the standard dose of 2 ampules per day. All out of pocket. I don't care what anyone says, that system is BROKEN.
 

Faust

New member
People on medicare are screwed. I have Freedom Health, which is supposedly one of the best you can have, and also does not have a "donut hole" to add further screwing to you. There are a ton of things (as you have seen) not covered by the main medicare plan that you have, so it reverts the coverage to the standard medicare plan. That plan covers 80% of most things, and then you have to pay the other 20%. This is why I have only used my medicare plan once for a doctors visit. Either fix our health care system to a universal system where people all pay a reasonable amount and everything is covered, or create a separate chronic/degenerative/catastrophic centered care plan where people like us don't have to pay $3000 if we need home infusion therapy.

We have very costly drugs, and I would have to pay around $700 for ONE box of pulmozyme via the standard medicare system. $1400 if I do the standard dose of 2 ampules per day. All out of pocket. I don't care what anyone says, that system is BROKEN.
 

Faust

New member
People on medicare are screwed. I have Freedom Health, which is supposedly one of the best you can have, and also does not have a "donut hole" to add further screwing to you. There are a ton of things (as you have seen) not covered by the main medicare plan that you have, so it reverts the coverage to the standard medicare plan. That plan covers 80% of most things, and then you have to pay the other 20%. This is why I have only used my medicare plan once for a doctors visit. Either fix our health care system to a universal system where people all pay a reasonable amount and everything is covered, or create a separate chronic/degenerative/catastrophic centered care plan where people like us don't have to pay $3000 if we need home infusion therapy.
<br />
<br />We have very costly drugs, and I would have to pay around $700 for ONE box of pulmozyme via the standard medicare system. $1400 if I do the standard dose of 2 ampules per day. All out of pocket. I don't care what anyone says, that system is BROKEN.
<br />
 
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