Quick answers
- Can I have Medicare and VA benefits at the same time?
- Yes. They are separate programs. You choose which to use each time you get care: VA pays for care at VA facilities or VA-authorized care, and Medicare pays for Medicare-covered care from Medicare providers.
- Do I need Medicare Part B if I have VA health care?
- VA encourages you to sign up for Medicare as soon as you can. VA coverage isn't coverage from current work, so if you delay Part B you can owe a late-enrollment penalty for life.
- Is VA drug coverage creditable for Part D?
- Yes. Medicare lists VA drug coverage as creditable prescription drug coverage, so you won't owe a Part D penalty while you have it, and you can join Part D later if you lose it.
- Do I need Part B with TRICARE For Life?
- Yes. TRICARE For Life is Medicare-wraparound coverage that requires both Medicare Part A and Part B.
Oregon veterans can get care from three VA health care systems based in the state and from Medicare providers in every county. Veterans who are eligible for both VA health care and Medicare have coordination questions that don't apply to other beneficiaries.
VA health care and Medicare are separate programs
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Medicare are separate federal programs. VA eligibility is based on military service; Medicare eligibility is based on age (65 and older), disability or end-stage renal disease. Many Oregon veterans qualify for both, and each covers things the other doesn't.
- Medicare doesn't pay for care at a VA facility.
- VA doesn't bill Medicare or Medicaid, but it may bill a Medicare supplement (Medigap) policy for covered services.
- You choose each time. VA says you need to choose which benefit to use each time you get care. VA care generally has to be at a VA facility or authorized by VA in advance.
Should I enroll in Part B if I get VA care?
VA's own advice is: "We encourage you to sign up for Medicare as soon as you can." Here's why it matters:
- The Part B penalty is permanent. If you delay Part B, your premium goes up 10% for each full 12 months you could have had it, for as long as you have Part B.
- VA coverage doesn't give you a special enrollment period. Medicare says VA coverage isn't coverage based on current employment, so if you skip Part B you can generally sign up only during the General Enrollment Period (January to March), with coverage starting the next month.
- Care outside the VA. If you go to a non-VA hospital or doctor, VA may not pay unless specific conditions are met. Medicare covers Medicare-approved care from any provider that accepts Medicare in the U.S.
- Your VA situation can change. A move, a change in your priority group or a VA wait list can affect your access. Medicare is there either way.
The standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026. If paying it is hard, see Medicare Savings Programs in Oregon; Oregon has no asset limit for them. Talk through your situation with a VA benefits counselor or a County Veteran Service Officer before deciding.
Part D and VA drug coverage
Medicare lists VA drug coverage as creditable prescription drug coverage, along with TRICARE and CHAMPVA. That means you won't owe a Part D late-enrollment penalty while you have it, and if you ever lose it you can join a Part D plan within 63 days without a penalty. Medicare's guide to drug coverage says that for most people with VA coverage, Medicare drug coverage isn't cost-effective unless they qualify for Extra Help.
Reasons some veterans also join Part D:
- to fill prescriptions at retail pharmacies near home or while traveling, without going through VA;
- for a drug a non-VA doctor prescribes that VA won't fill; or
- if they qualify for Extra Help, which lowers Part D costs.
In 2026, Part D caps your yearly out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,100. Joining a Part D plan doesn't affect your VA eligibility.
Medicare Advantage and the VA
You can be in a Medicare Advantage plan and use VA care. The two don't coordinate: you use VA or the plan's providers for each need. Things to weigh:
- Medicare Advantage plans use networks, which matters if you also travel or live part of the year elsewhere.
- Medicare Advantage plans may offer extra benefits such as dental, vision, hearing or fitness. Extra benefits vary by plan and county, may have limits and costs, and not every plan offers them. Check a plan's Summary of Benefits or Evidence of Coverage.
- In some Oregon counties, no Medicare Advantage plan is open to everyone. For 2026 and 2027, CMS data show none in Grant, Harney, Lake, Umatilla and Union counties outside employer group plans. Check your county.
Medigap and the VA
Some veterans choose Original Medicare with a Medigap policy: any provider that accepts Medicare can see you anywhere in the U.S., Medigap pays much of what Original Medicare leaves, and VA stays a separate option. VA may bill your Medigap policy for VA care of nonservice-connected conditions.
Oregon's Medigap birthday rule (OAR 836-052-0143) lets people who already have a Medigap policy switch to one with the same or fewer benefits, from the same or a different company, without health questions, from 30 days before to 30 days after their birthday each year. See Medigap in Oregon.
VA health care in Oregon
- VA Portland Health Care System: Portland VA Medical Center and a campus in Vancouver, Washington, plus community clinics around northwest Oregon and southwest Washington.
- VA Roseburg Health Care System: the Roseburg VA Medical Center and clinics in southwest Oregon.
- VA Southern Oregon Health Care: the White City VA Medical Center, with residential rehabilitation and outpatient care, plus clinics in Grants Pass and Klamath Falls.
Some veterans in eastern Oregon are closer to VA medical centers in Idaho or Washington. Use VA's facility locator to find the nearest one.
The Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs (ODVA), 1-800-692-9666, works with veteran service offices around the state that help with VA benefit claims. Find yours through ODVA's directory.
TRICARE For Life and Medicare
TRICARE For Life (TFL) is Medicare-wraparound coverage for TRICARE-eligible people who have Medicare Part A and Part B, whatever their age or where they live. Medicare pays first, then TRICARE pays its share; for services both cover, you generally pay nothing out of pocket.
- Part B is required. TFL starts the first day you have both Part A and Part B, and you must keep paying Part B premiums. Without Part B, you lose TRICARE.
- No enrollment or fees. Your Medicare card and uniformed services ID card are your proof of coverage. TFL doesn't cover family members who aren't eligible themselves.
- Drugs. TFL includes the TRICARE pharmacy benefit, which Medicare lists as creditable drug coverage, so most TFL beneficiaries don't need Part D.
CHAMPVA and Medicare
CHAMPVA shares the cost of care for certain spouses, surviving spouses and children of veterans, such as families of veterans rated permanently and totally disabled by a service-connected condition. VA says that if you are eligible for Medicare, you must have Part A and Part B (or a Medicare Advantage plan) to get or keep CHAMPVA. If you have Part D, send VA a copy of that card too. Medicare lists CHAMPVA drug coverage as creditable.
Resources and contacts
- VA health care: 1-877-222-8387 and va.gov/health-care
- Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs: 1-800-692-9666 (503-373-2085 locally)
- TRICARE For Life: tricare.mil
- Social Security: 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), to sign up for Medicare
- 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048) and Medicare.gov
- Licensed insurance agents: to compare Medicare Advantage, Medigap and Part D plans from the companies they work with, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent.
Related guides
Working past 65 in Oregon
Coordination if you're still employed.
Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage
Which path fits.
Medigap in Oregon
Including the birthday rule.
Medicare Savings Programs in Oregon
Help paying the Part B premium.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — VA health care and other insurance
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — CHAMPVA benefits
- TRICARE — TRICARE For Life
- Medicare.gov — Your Guide to Medicare Drug Coverage (PDF)
- Medicare.gov — How Medicare Works with Other Insurance (PDF)
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — VA Southern Oregon health care
- Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs
- OAR 836-052-0143 — Annual opportunity to select another Medicare supplement policy (Cornell LII)
- CMS — CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape files
Every question in this guide
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Medicare Part B if I have VA health care?
VA encourages veterans to sign up for Medicare as soon as they can. VA coverage doesn't count as coverage from current employment, so it doesn't give you a special enrollment period, and the Part B late-enrollment penalty lasts as long as you have Part B. Part B also covers care outside the VA, such as emergency care at a non-VA hospital.
Is VA drug coverage creditable for Part D?
Yes. Medicare lists VA drug coverage as creditable prescription drug coverage. You won't owe a Part D late-enrollment penalty while you have it, and if you lose it you can join a Part D plan within 63 days without a penalty.
Can I use both VA and Medicare in the same year?
Yes. You choose which benefit to use each time you get care. VA doesn't bill Medicare, and Medicare doesn't pay for care at a VA facility, but VA may bill a Medicare supplement policy for covered services.
Does TRICARE For Life require Medicare Part B?
Yes. TRICARE says TFL is Medicare-wraparound coverage for TRICARE-eligible people who have Medicare Part A and Part B, and you must pay the Part B premiums. Without Part B you lose TRICARE coverage.
Medicare in your Oregon county
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