Health Benefits for Medicare-eligible Military Retirees : Rationalizing Tricare for Life

Examines Tricare for Life's potential benefits and costs for the Department of Defense, Medicare, beneficiaries, and taxpayers and summarizes issues and policy options for improving TFL in the future. 450-character abstract: Medicare-eligible military retirees enrolled in Medicare Part B are entitled to both Medicare and Tricare health care benefits--coverage referred to as Tricare for Life (TFL). This report examines the TFL benefit design and TFL's potential benefits and costs for the Department of Defense (DoD), Medicare, beneficiaries, and taxpayers. The authors summarize issues and policy options that were discussed in several briefings presented to the DoD for its consideration for improving TFL in the future.