No drug coverage, on purpose.
These are medical-only plans. Your prescriptions keep coming through TRICARE For Life, CHAMPVA or the VA, so nothing changes at the pharmacy.
The plans
Medicare plans built for veterans.
They are Medicare Advantage plans from major carriers, designed to sit alongside TRICARE For Life, CHAMPVA and VA care. They add to what you have. They don't replace it.
Part B premium, up to$185less each month
What makes them different
Three things set a veteran plan apart.
PPO, so the doctor is your choice.
You can see providers in or out of the network. We check each of your doctors by name before you enroll in anything.
A lower Part B premium.
Many of these plans reduce the Part B premium itself. Up to $185 a month, depending on the plans in your county.
What they add
The benefits, one at a time.
The ranges below come from 2027 plans we have reviewed. Your plan and county decide the real numbers, and your advocate shows you the actual benefit sheet.
Up to $185
less each month, on plans that include a reduction.
Social Security takes out less. There is nothing for you to file. Some counties have no plan with a reduction, and we will tell you if yours is one.
Dental
Exams and cleanings, plus a yearly allowance for other work. The plans we've reviewed range from $1,000 to $4,000 a year.
Vision
A yearly eye exam and an allowance toward glasses or contacts, typically $200 to $400 a year.
Hearing
Hearing exams, and either an allowance or set prices for hearing aids. This one varies the most from plan to plan.
Over-the-counter allowance
A quarterly amount for everyday health items like vitamins and first-aid supplies, often $50 to $90 a quarter.
Fitness
A gym membership included at no extra charge on many plans.
Before and after
What changes, and what stays exactly the same.
| What you have today | With a veteran plan added | |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare Part A and Part B | Enrolled | Still enrolled |
| TRICARE For Life or CHAMPVA | Pays second | Still pays second |
| VA health care | Yours to use | Unchanged |
| Prescriptions | TRICARE, CHAMPVA or VA pharmacy | Unchanged |
| Part B premium | The full premium, every month | Lower by up to $185 a month on some plans |
| Dental, vision, hearing | Not part of Original Medicare | Included, amounts vary by plan |
| Monthly plan premium | None | Typically $0 |
How to compare them
Five things to check on any plan.
We are an independent agency, so we are not tied to one carrier. Whichever veteran plans are offered in your county, these are the five things we go through with you. They are worth asking no matter who you talk to.
Is it a PPO or an HMO?
A PPO lets you see doctors in or out of the network. An HMO generally does not, and that can cause problems alongside TRICARE For Life.
Does it include drug coverage?
If TRICARE For Life, CHAMPVA or the VA fills your prescriptions, you want a medical-only plan. If you use a regular pharmacy without that coverage, you need a plan that includes it.
Does it lower Part B in my county?
The reduction is set county by county. Ask for the number where you live, not the highest one you have seen advertised.
Are my doctors in the network?
Have each one looked up by name before you enroll. We do this on the call, while you are on the line.
What is the yearly out-of-pocket limit?
Every Medicare Advantage plan has one. It is the most you could pay in a year for covered care.
We go through all five with you.
Using the actual benefit sheet for your county, not a brochure.
How a call worksPlan availability, benefits and premium reductions vary by county. Not every county has a veteran plan.
Who it fits
It is not right for everyone. We'll tell you.
These plans fit best when TRICARE For Life or CHAMPVA is already covering your prescriptions and your copays.
If you use the VA only, the picture is different. Outside the VA, plan copays would be yours to pay. And if you fill prescriptions at a regular pharmacy, a medical-only plan would leave you without drug coverage.
In that case we will point you to a plan that includes prescriptions, or tell you to stay where you are.
See which lane you're in