What Is TRICARE For Life? | 2026 Guide for Retirees | TRICARE.com

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## Quick answer TRICARE For Life (TFL) is Medicare-wraparound coverage for military retirees and their eligible dependents who are entitled to Medicare Part A and Part B. It acts as a secondary payer to Medicare, typically covering the remaining out-of-pocket costs (deductibles and coinsurance) for services covered by both programs.

## Details TRICARE For Life is a unique "gold-standard" benefit because it requires no enrollment forms or monthly premiums beyond what you already pay for Medicare Part B. It is available worldwide, though it functions differently depending on where you receive care.

### How it Works with Medicare In the United States and U.S. Territories, TFL acts as the secondary payer: 1. **Medicare-covered services:** Medicare pays its share first, and TFL pays the remaining balance. In most cases, the beneficiary owes $0 out of pocket. 2. **TRICARE-covered but not Medicare-covered:** TFL acts as the primary payer. You are responsible for the TRICARE fiscal year deductible (e.g., $150 per individual or $300 per family for 2026 rates) and the applicable cost-share. 3. **Services not covered by either:** You are responsible for the entire bill.

### Requirements for Eligibility To use TFL, you must be "dual-eligible." This means you must be eligible for TRICARE (verified via DEERS) and you must be enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B. If you decline Medicare Part B, you lose your TRICARE eligibility (with very limited exceptions for active-duty family members).

### Costs and Deductibles * **Premiums:** TFL itself has a $0 premium. However, you must pay your monthly Medicare Part B premiums to keep TFL active. * **Deductibles:** There is no TFL-specific deductible for services covered by Medicare. For services only covered by TRICARE, you pay the TRICARE standard deductible. * **Pharmacy:** Managed by Express Scripts. You have the same pharmacy benefits as other TRICARE beneficiaries, including the use of Military Pharmacies ($0 copay), Home Delivery, and retail network pharmacies.

### Coverage Overseas Because Medicare does not provide coverage outside the United States and U.S. Territories, TRICARE For Life becomes the **primary payer** for care received overseas. In these cases, you will typically pay the TRICARE deductible and a 25% cost-share for covered services.

### Contractors for 2026 * **East Region:** Humana Military. * **West Region:** TriWest Healthcare Alliance. * **Pharmacy:** Express Scripts. * **Overseas:** International SOS.

## Who this affects * **Retirees:** Retired members of the active component and their eligible spouses. * **National Guard/Reserve:** Retired members receiving retired pay (usually at age 60) and their spouses. * **Survivors:** Eligible surviving spouses who have Medicare Part A and Part B. * **Certain Medal of Honor recipients** and their families.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [TRICARE For Life Overview](https://www.tricare.mil/tfl) * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** [Medicare and TRICARE](https://www.health.mil) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance:** [West Region Provider Information](https://www.triwest.com) * **Humana Military:** [East Region TFL Coordination](https://www.humanamilitary.com)