TRICARE For Life Basics

• Is there an enrollment fee for TRICARE For Life?No. TFL has no enrollment fee and no monthly premium. The only premium you pay is for Medicare Part B.
• What does TRICARE For Life actually cover?TFL is a wraparound. For services Medicare and TFL both cover, TFL pays nearly all remaining cost-shares. For Medicare-only services, TFL still acts as secondary. For TFL-only services (very few), TFL pays as primary.
• Does TFL have a catastrophic cap?Yes. The TRICARE annual catastrophic cap protects you from unlimited out-of-pocket costs on TFL's portion of care.
• What do I actually pay out-of-pocket on TFL?For services covered by both Medicare and TRICARE, almost always $0. For TRICARE-only services, you owe a small deductible plus a percentage cost-share until you hit the annual catastrophic cap.
• Does TFL cover long-term care or a nursing home?No. Medicare and TFL only cover short-term skilled care after a qualifying hospital stay. Custodial long-term care (assisted living, nursing home for daily living help) isn't covered by either.
• Does TFL cover mental health and substance use treatment?Yes. Medicare covers outpatient and inpatient mental health; TFL pays the coinsurance. VA may also provide mental health care for eligible veterans at no cost.
• Does TFL cover preventive care like flu shots and screenings?Yes. Medicare covers most preventive services at $0 when provided by a Medicare-participating provider, and TFL adds no additional cost.
• Does TFL cover a skilled nursing facility stay?Yes. After a qualifying 3-day inpatient hospital stay, Medicare covers up to 100 days of SNF care and TFL pays the days-21–100 coinsurance.
• Does TFL cover home health care?Yes, when a doctor certifies it's medically necessary and you're homebound. Medicare pays first; TFL covers any remaining cost-shares.
• Does TFL pay for durable medical equipment (DME)?Yes. Medicare covers Part B DME (wheelchairs, CPAPs, walkers) at 80% from a Medicare-enrolled supplier; TFL pays the remaining 20%.

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.