Most Tricare health plans include prescription drug coverage, but not every beneficiary receives that coverage through the same pharmacy program. Tricare Prime, Tricare Select, and Tricare For Life beneficiaries generally use the Tricare Pharmacy Program, which is administered by Express Scripts. Beneficiaries enrolled in the US Family Health Plan receive their pharmacy coverage directly through their USFHP plan instead.

Should you stay with Original Medicare or choose a Medicare Advantage plan? Learn how each option works with Tricare For Life, including claims, provider networks, Part B premium reductions, prescription drug coverage, and more.

If a spouse turns 65 before the retiree is 62, coverage doesn’t stop, but it looks different for a few years. At 65, the spouse must enroll in Part B and Tricare Prime or Select will act as secondary coverage. Then, when the retiree turns 62, the spouse becomes eligible for premium-free Part A and transitions into Tricare for Life, with Medicare as primary and TFL as secondary.

Many retirees are surprised when their Medicare premiums are higher than expected. This extra cost, called IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount), affects Medicare Part B and Part D if your income is above certain thresholds. In this post, we’ll explain what IRMAA is, why it exists, how it impacts Tricare for Life, and what steps you can take to plan ahead or appeal if your income has changed.