Quick answers
- Do I need Part B with TRICARE For Life?
- Yes. TRICARE says you must have Medicare Part B to stay eligible for TRICARE once you have Part A. TRICARE For Life starts automatically when both parts take effect.
- Do I need Part B if I only use the VA?
- It's optional, but the VA encourages you to sign up. VA coverage doesn't give you a special enrollment period later, so waiting can mean a Part B late penalty.
- Do I need a Part D plan?
- Usually not. TRICARE pharmacy coverage and VA drug coverage both count as creditable, so you won't owe a Part D late penalty if you join later.
- Can I use the clinic at Tinker or Fort Sill?
- With TRICARE For Life, TRICARE says you can get care at military hospitals and clinics only if space is available. You can fill prescriptions at military pharmacies.
- Does CHAMPVA require Medicare?
- Yes, in most cases. The VA says that if you're eligible for Medicare, you must have Part A and Part B (or a Medicare Advantage plan) to get or keep CHAMPVA.
Medicare for Oklahoma veterans and military retirees
Oklahoma's main active-duty military installations are Tinker Air Force Base near Midwest City, Fort Sill in Lawton, Vance Air Force Base in Enid and Altus Air Force Base in Altus. Many people who served there retire nearby, and they often carry two or three kinds of coverage at once: Medicare, TRICARE and VA health care. These programs each have their own rules, and the costliest mistakes usually involve Part B.
Should I take Medicare Part B?
| Your situation | Part B | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Military retiree or family member with TRICARE | Required | TRICARE says you must have Part B to stay eligible for TRICARE once you have Part A. |
| Veteran enrolled in VA health care only | Optional, but the VA encourages it | Part B covers non-VA care. VA coverage doesn't give you a special enrollment period later, and the penalty grows the longer you wait. |
| Spouse, survivor or caregiver with CHAMPVA | Required in most cases | The VA says you must have Part A and Part B to get or keep CHAMPVA if you're eligible for Medicare. A Medicare Advantage plan also meets the rule. Some people who turned 65 before June 5, 2001, have different rules. |
| Covered by a current employer's group plan (yours or your spouse's) | May be able to wait | Medicare gives you a special enrollment period after coverage from current work ends. If you also have TRICARE, ask TRICARE first, because it requires Part B. See working past 65. |
The Part B late enrollment penalty is $10% of the standard premium for each full 12-month period you could have had Part B but didn't, and you generally pay it for as long as you have Part B. The VA also warns that if you cancel Part B, you can't get it back until January of the following year and may owe a penalty. See Medicare Part B and the penalty calculator.
How does TRICARE For Life work with Medicare?
TRICARE For Life (TFL) is TRICARE's coverage for people who have Medicare Part A and Part B. You don't enroll separately: coverage is automatic when both parts take effect.
- Who pays first: for most care in the U.S., Medicare pays its share first and sends the claim to TRICARE, which pays last. If you have coverage from a current job, that pays first, then Medicare, then TRICARE.
- What you pay: TFL has no enrollment fee, but you pay your Medicare Part B premium (standard $202.90 a month in 2026). TRICARE says you generally have no out-of-pocket costs for services both Medicare and TRICARE cover.
- Outside the U.S.: Medicare doesn't cover care in most other countries, so TRICARE pays first there, with its own cost shares.
Because TFL generally covers what's left after Medicare for services both cover, ask what a Medigap policy would add before you buy one. Some retirees choose a Medicare Advantage plan instead; TRICARE says it can reimburse copayments for TFL-covered services, though you may pay at the time of service and file your own claims. See Medicare Advantage in Oklahoma.
Do I need Part D if I have VA or TRICARE drug coverage?
Usually not. TRICARE says its pharmacy benefit is creditable prescription drug coverage, and federal rules (42 CFR 423.56) also list VA drug coverage as creditable. While you have creditable coverage, you won't owe a Part D late penalty if you join a plan later. If you lose that coverage, join a plan before you go 63 days in a row without it. TRICARE notes that it needs a written request to send you a proof-of-coverage letter.
Some veterans still look at a Part D plan, for example to fill prescriptions from a non-VA doctor at a local pharmacy.
Military clinics and pharmacies in Oklahoma
With TRICARE For Life, TRICARE says you can get care at military hospitals and clinics only if space is available. Oklahoma's installations have military treatment facilities rather than full hospitals:
| Installation | Location | Military clinic |
|---|---|---|
| Tinker Air Force Base | Near Midwest City and Oklahoma City | 72nd Medical Group, with a pharmacy |
| Fort Sill | Lawton | Reynolds Army Health Clinic, whose pharmacy has three locations on post |
| Vance Air Force Base | Enid | Base military clinic |
| Altus Air Force Base | Altus | Base military clinic |
Space-available care and pharmacy services can change, so call the clinic to ask what it offers TFL patients, and keep a civilian primary care doctor who accepts Medicare. TRICARE beneficiaries can fill prescriptions at military pharmacies. The VA also runs the Tinker VA Clinic on Tinker AFB and two Lawton VA clinics at Fort Sill.
How do VA health care and Medicare work together?
They are separate. The VA pays for care at VA facilities and for community care it authorizes, and it doesn't bill Medicare. Medicare pays for covered care you get from non-VA doctors and hospitals the VA didn't authorize. Each time you get care, you are choosing which benefit to use. The VA may bill a Medicare supplement policy for covered non-service-connected care.
The VA runs two health care systems in Oklahoma:
| VA health care system | Medical centers | Some clinic locations |
|---|---|---|
| VA Oklahoma City health care | Oklahoma City VA Medical Center | Ada, Altus, Ardmore, Blackwell, Clinton, Enid, Lawton (Fort Sill), Norman, Shawnee, Stillwater, Tinker AFB, Yukon and several Oklahoma City sites |
| VA Eastern Oklahoma health care | Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center, Muskogee; James Mountain Inhofe VA Medical Center, Tulsa (listed by the VA as coming soon) | Bartlesville, Claremore, Idabel, McAlester, Muskogee, Vinita and several Tulsa sites, including the Ernest Childers VA Outpatient Clinic |
If you live in the Panhandle or far southeastern Oklahoma, the nearest VA medical center may be hours away. Medicare lets you see a local doctor or use the nearest hospital without waiting for VA authorization. See rural hospitals and telehealth in Oklahoma.
CHAMPVA and Medicare
CHAMPVA covers certain spouses, survivors and family caregivers of veterans. The VA says that if you're eligible for Medicare, you must have Part A and Part B to get or keep CHAMPVA; a Medicare Advantage plan also meets this requirement. After 65, CHAMPVA for Life pays after Medicare, covering Medicare's deductibles and coinsurance for covered services. CHAMPVA doesn't pay your Part B premium.
Oklahoma State Veterans Homes
The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA) runs seven State Veterans Homes, in Ardmore, Claremore, Clinton, Lawton, Norman (memory care only), Sallisaw and Sulphur. The homes are federally approved by the VA. ODVA has said that veterans with a long-term care need and a service-connected disability rating of 70% or higher can live in one at no charge. Medicare doesn't pay for long-term custodial care in any nursing home, though it can cover a short skilled nursing stay after a qualifying hospital stay. Ask ODVA's admissions team about eligibility.
Steps to take before you turn 65
- Sign up for Part A and Part B. Apply through Social Security (ssa.gov or 1-800-772-1213) during your Initial Enrollment Period, especially if you have TRICARE or CHAMPVA.
- Check your DEERS record. TRICARE asks beneficiaries to check DEERS regularly so their eligibility and enrollment information is correct.
- Decide on drug coverage. TRICARE and VA drug coverage are creditable; a Part D plan is optional.
- Compare options if you want more coverage. To see how a Medicare plan would fit with your VA or TRICARE coverage, using plans from the companies they work with, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent, or see plans for your ZIP code.
For Medicare questions, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048). More answers are on our Medicare questions page.
Sources
- TRICARE — TRICARE For Life
- TRICARE — Medicare-eligible beneficiaries
- VA — VA health care and other insurance
- VA — CHAMPVA benefits
- VA Oklahoma City health care — Locations
- VA Eastern Oklahoma health care — Locations
- eCFR — 42 CFR 423.56, Creditable prescription drug coverage
- Medicare.gov — Avoid late enrollment penalties
- 72nd Medical Group, Tinker AFB — About us
- Reynolds Army Health Clinic, Fort Sill — Pharmacy
- Vance AFB military clinic (TRICARE)
- Altus AFB military clinic (TRICARE)
- Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs — Veterans Homes
- Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs — 70 Percent-Plus Initiative (2022)
Every question in this guide
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Medicare Part B if I have TRICARE?
Yes, in most cases. TRICARE says you must have Medicare Part B to remain eligible for TRICARE once you have Part A. With both parts, you're covered by TRICARE For Life, which pays after Medicare. Without Part B, you can fill prescriptions only at military pharmacies.
Do I need Part B if I only use the VA?
You don't have to take it, but the VA encourages veterans to sign up for Medicare as soon as they can. VA coverage doesn't give you a special enrollment period later, so if you wait you may have to sign up in the General Enrollment Period and pay a Part B late penalty for as long as you have Part B. Medicare also covers you at non-VA doctors and hospitals.
Will the VA bill Medicare for my care?
No. The VA says it doesn't bill Medicare or Medicaid, though it may bill a Medicare supplement policy for covered non-service-connected care. Medicare pays for covered care you get from non-VA providers that the VA didn't authorize.
Can I have a Medicare Advantage plan with TRICARE For Life?
Yes, as long as you keep Part A and Part B. TRICARE says it can reimburse copayments for services TRICARE For Life covers, though you may have to pay at the time of service and file your own claims. Check how a plan's network and drug coverage fit with your TRICARE pharmacy benefit first.
Does Medicare pay for an Oklahoma Veterans Home?
Medicare doesn't pay for long-term custodial care in any nursing home, though it can cover a short skilled nursing stay after a qualifying hospital stay. The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs runs seven State Veterans Homes, and it has said veterans with a long-term care need and a service-connected rating of 70% or higher can live in one at no charge.
Medicare in your Oklahoma county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Oklahoma · Tulsa · Cleveland · Canadian · Comanche · Rogers · Wagoner · Payne · Pottawatomie · Creek · Muskogee · Garfield · Grady · Washington · Logan · Bryan · Le Flore · Carter · Cherokee · McClain · All 77 counties →
