VA coverage is not considered creditable, or as good as Medicare, from a health insurance perspective. Therefore, people with VA coverage need to sign up for Medicare Part B or pay the late-enrollment penalty. Signing up for Medicare insurance does not preclude an eligible veteran from receiving care at a VA facility.

People with VA coverage have what is considered creditable drug coverage, or coverage as good as Medicare Part D. They do not need to sign up for a Medicare Part D plan. However, many veterans do choose to sign up for a part D plan to have access to a wider range of prescription medications or be able to get medications at a local pharmacy.

Deciding whether to apply for a Medigap, Medicare Advantage, or standalone Part D plan is a personal decision. Many people do prefer to have the freedom of choice to go outside of the VA for doctors, hospitals, and/or prescription medications. If you are one of those people, you will want to consider a private Medicare insurance policy.

Call the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs at 1-800-827-1000 for information on veteran's benefits and services in your area.

Call Educators Senior Insurance Services at 1-800-236-4613 if you are interested in seeing private physicians or purchasing medications outside the VA system.

Many people like help deciding which plan is a good choice for them. Plans vary widely from company to company and from place to place, and when comparing plans between companies it’s important to compare the fine print—not just the premiums. That’s what Senior Educators Insurance Services was created for—to provide free, unbiased assistance to Medicare recipients to help them choose appropriate coverage. To request help now, please fill out the short informational form here so a licensed representative can be well informed about your healthcare preferences. Or simply give us a call at 1-800-236-4613 and speak with a trained and licensed representative now!

If you prefer to do the research by yourself, we’ve created a number of tools to help you do so. First, we have created the Senior Educators Insurance Services’ Top 10 Tips for Navigating Medicare, which captures a very high-level perspective on what to consider based on our years of experience. Second, we have created a plan comparison engine that shows you a list of the plans available in your area. To access that tool, enter your zip code on the side of this page and click the “Find Plans” button. We hope that if you find a plan through our tools, you’ll enroll through our organization, as it’s how we can afford to provide excellent, unbiased information and help.