Medicare
Special Benefits for the Military
My Medicare Choices offers benefits for individuals of 65 and below 65. We offer a special benefit for military veterans through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) that shares the cost of your health care and supplies that are covered.
Who Qualifies for Medicare
Original Medicare
Original Medicare is a fee-for-service plan comprising
Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B.
Original Medicare Part B covers some drugs like immunizations, insulin supplies, chemotherapy drugs, medications for organ transplant covered by Medicare, and medications used for end-stage renal disease. Original does not have a limit on your out-of-pocket costs for your health care. You can see any doctor that accepts Medicare.
Not covered:
Part A
Most people don't pay a Part A premium because they or their spouse worked and paid taxes for 40 quarters/10 years.
Your Responsibility
You will be responsible for the $1,556 deductible for each benefit period. The deducible is what you will pay for hospitalization for the first 60 days.
Part B
Part B has a deductible in 2022 of $233.00. Once you pay the deductible, you will typically pay 20% of Medicare-approved amounts for most doctor services, including doctor services, while you’re in the hospital.
Part B costs everyone, and the amount you pay varies based on your income. The cost this year (2020) is:
Prescription aka Part D
Medicare Part D is for your prescription coverage. To qualify for a Part D plan with Medicare, you must have Part A or Part B. We offer four types of prescription drug coverage for Medicare recipients.
Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Coverage
It can be purchased through various private insurance companies. There is an option for people who are using:
Most Medicare Advantage Plans offer prescription coverage (Part D). Please verify the plan you are enrolling in has prescription coverage. If the plan does not include prescription coverage, you cannot have a stand-alone prescription plan and a Medicare Advantage plan that does not include prescription coverage.
Employer/Group Coverage or Union Coverage
If you or your spouse continue working and you have a covered employer/group plan, this is creditable coverage, as long as the coverage is as good as Medicare prescription plans. Check with your benefits administrator.
Union coverage - If your coverage is through a Union, they will send you a notice each year to inform you if their coverage is still creditable.
VA Benefits Tricare/CHAMPVA
Veterans Benefits (VA) is for individuals who have served in the Military. If you decide to enroll in a Medicare drug plan, you cannot use both benefits to fill the same drug.
Tricare
Tricare is for active and retired military personnel and their families. But we are focusing on Medicare recipients. If you are entitled to Tricare, you do not have to get enrolled in a Medicare plan, but you have to have both Medicare Part A & Part B to receive your Tricare drug benefits. If you do decide to enroll in a Medicare drug plan, your Medicare drug plan pays first.
CHAMPVA
If you purchase a Medicare prescription plan, you will not be able to receive the CHAMPVA meds by mail, where they send you the maintenance drugs you need at no cost to you at no copayments, no deductibles, and no premiums.