Frequently Asked
How do I find a doctor who takes Medicare?
Use Medicare Care Compare at medicare.gov/care-compare. Look for providers who 'accept Medicare assignment.' If they accept Medicare, they accept TFL as secondary.
The official tool is Medicare Care Compare. Enter your ZIP, choose a specialty, and filter by providers who accept Medicare assignment.
A few tips:
- TFL works with any Medicare-participating provider. There's no separate TFL network. If a doctor takes Medicare, they take you.
- Confirm before the first visit by asking the office: "Do you accept Medicare assignment?" That's a yes/no question — if yes, you're set.
- Avoid doctors who have opted out of Medicare entirely. Neither Medicare nor TFL will pay for their services. Common with concierge medicine and some specialists.
- No referrals needed with Original Medicare + TFL. You can self-refer to any specialist who takes Medicare.
For routine care, primary care, specialists, and most testing — finding a Medicare provider is straightforward in most U.S. metros.
Continue learning
— suggested by the knowledge graph Lessons
- What is TRICARE For Life? The complete guide for retired militaryThe Medicare-wraparound benefit you earned through service — what it covers, who qualifies, what it costs, and how it activates.
- Understanding Original Medicare (Parts A & B) for veteransExactly what Part A and Part B cover, what they cost in 2026, and why both are required to keep TRICARE For Life.
- How Medicare and TRICARE For Life work togetherThe exact mechanics of who pays first, who pays second, and what you owe — for every common care scenario.
Encyclopedia
- TRICARE For Life (TFL)The wraparound secondary health coverage for Medicare-eligible military retirees, spouses, and survivors — no premium, no enrollment fee.
- MedicareThe federal health insurance program for people 65+, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with ESRD or ALS.
- Original MedicareMedicare Parts A and B together — the fee-for-service version of Medicare run directly by the federal government.
- Provider NetworkThe list of doctors, hospitals, and facilities that contract with an insurance plan.
- Medicare-Participating ProviderA provider who has signed an agreement to always accept Medicare assignment for every covered service.
FAQs
- Can I keep seeing military doctors?At many MTFs, routine primary care after 65 becomes space-available; some MTFs also offer TRICARE Plus based on local capacity.
- What happens to my coverage if I travel or live abroad?TFL becomes your primary payer overseas because Medicare generally doesn't pay outside the U.S. Keep Part B active and use the TRICARE Overseas Program.
- My doctor said they don't take Medicare. What now?If a provider has opted out of Medicare entirely, TFL won't pay either. Find a Medicare-participating provider via Care Compare.
Related lessons
Related glossary terms
Related Official Resources
Continue learning straight from the source. Every link below goes to an official government or DoD resource.
Last reviewed January 2026 against the 2026 Medicare & You and TRICARE For Life handbooks.