Eligibility & DEERS

• Who is eligible for TRICARE For Life?Retired uniformed service members, eligible spouses and widows/widowers, certain former spouses, and Medal of Honor recipients — all entitled to Medicare Part A and enrolled in Part B, with current DEERS status.
• What happens if DEERS is wrong?If DEERS doesn't reflect your Medicare Part A and B status correctly, TFL won't pay your claims — even if you actually have Part B. Fix it at milConnect or by calling DMDC.
• I'm under 65 but on Medicare for disability. Do I get TFL?Yes. If you are entitled to Medicare Part A due to disability or ESRD and you enroll in Part B, TFL becomes your TRICARE plan regardless of age.
• How do I check my DEERS record?Log in to milConnect with your DS Logon, CAC, or my.gov account, and view 'My Profile.' Confirm Medicare Part A and B dates appear under Other Health Insurance.
• What counts as 'retired' for TFL?20+ years of active duty, an active-duty medical retirement, or a qualifying reserve retirement once you reach age 60 (gray area retirees become TFL-eligible at 65).
• I'm a gray area retiree turning 65. How does TFL work for me?Once you start drawing reserve retired pay (typically at 60) and reach Medicare eligibility, TFL replaces TRICARE Retired Reserve or TRICARE Select the same way it does for active-duty retirees.
• I'm still working with employer health insurance. How does TFL fit?If your employer has 20+ employees, your employer plan pays first, Medicare second, TFL third. You can delay Part B without penalty until employment ends — but TFL is inactive until you take Part B.
• I have FEHB from federal service. Do I still need Medicare?FEHB doesn't replace Medicare. To keep TFL, you must enroll in Part B. Many federal retirees keep both FEHB and Medicare for layered coverage; others drop FEHB once TFL is active.

Educational only — not insurance, legal, or tax advice. Verify with Medicare (1-800-MEDICARE), WPS (1-866-773-0404), SSA, or a licensed advisor before making enrollment decisions.