If you have coverage under the Tricare program and have a sponsor on active duty, you do not need to sign up for Medicare Part B to continue to receive full benefits. However, if your sponsor is retired, you will want to sign up for Medicare Part B in order to receive your full benefits and avoid any late-payment penalties, because Tricare for Life acts as a supplement to Original Medicare.

Most people in Tricare for Life will find they want to remain in the program and not purchase private insurance unless they have a problem with Tricare for Life. For more information, contact the Tricare for Life website: http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/overview/Plans/ForLife