By James E. Hamby Jr. – Special to Military Times
Posted : Thursday Nov 10, 2011 14:41:44 EST
Q. My father, an Army retiree, turned 65 in April and has not enrolled in Medicare Part B. Are there penalties for late enrollment? He was recently hospitalized, and I need to help him do this right away so his insurance doesn’t deny all the bills he recently had.
A.If a Tricare-eligible retiree or retiree family member becomes legally entitled to free Medicare Part A, federal law requires he also must be enrolled in Medicare Part B at that same time. Failure to do so results in immediate loss of Tricare eligibility until the beneficiary has Medicare Part B.
Your father should immediately contact the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 for guidance to enroll in Medicare Part B.
Without delay, your father also needs to contact the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, better known as DEERS, at 800-538-9552 for an official determination of his Tricare eligibility.
If your father is not enrolled in Part B, it is most likely that his Tricare eligibility was automatically terminated on the first day of the month when he turned 65. It is unlikely he can get retroactive coverage for care he received while he was ineligible, but DEERS can give you an official answer.
Q. I am a retired Marine and have been enrolled in Tricare Prime for a number of years. Over the past few years I was treated for cancer and was awarded Social Security disability benefits backdated almost a year. I understand that once you are on SSD for two years, you have to enroll in Medicare. I have received my Medicare card for Parts A and B that will be effective Jan. 1. Will I need to contact Tricare to discontinue my allotment for Prime, or will Tricare receive notification from Social Security? Also, will I fall under regular Tricare, or will I convert to Tricare for Life?
A.When a Tricare beneficiary becomes entitled to Medicare and is enrolled in Part B, the Social Security Administration is supposed to notify the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System. Sometimes supposed things do not happen, however. You can call DEERS at 800-538-9552 to check your record. If it has not been updated to show your Part B enrollment and the effective date, ask DEERS what you must do.
I suggest you also call your Tricare Prime office now and make arrangements to pay its enrollment fees on a month-to-month basis that will end automatically, with the last payment to be December 2011.
If your DEERS record is up to date and accurately reports that you are enrolled in Medicare Part B, DEERS automatically will switch your Tricare plan from Prime to Tricare Standard at midnight on Dec. 31. One second later you will become eligible for Medicare Parts A and B and Tricare Standard making up your coverage under Tricare for Life.
Write to Tricare Help, Times News Service, 6883 Commercial Drive, Springfield, VA 22159; or click here to email us. In email, include the word “Tricare” in the subject line and do not attach files. Get Tricare advice anytime on our blog.
