VA health care and Medicare are separate programs
- VA health care is based on military service and works at VA facilities (or VA Community Care referrals)
- Medicare is based on age or disability and works at any Medicare-accepting provider
- Neither pays for the other: VA won't pay Medicare costs, and Medicare won't pay for care at VA facilities
- You can have both and choose which to use for each health need
The Part B decision for veterans
Part A is free for most people — enroll regardless. The real question is Part B ($202.90/month in 2026). If you rely heavily on VA care and rarely see non-VA doctors, the premium may not be worth it. But if you want the flexibility to see any doctor — or VA facilities are far from home, which matters in rural Colorado — Part B provides that freedom.
Important: VA coverage does NOT protect you from the Part B late enrollment penalty. If you skip Part B at 65 and want it later, you'll wait for General Enrollment and pay a permanent 10%-per-year penalty. There is no Special Enrollment Period for losing VA access.
VA drug coverage and Part D
Good news: VA drug coverage IS creditable for Part D. You can skip Part D without penalty as long as you keep VA pharmacy benefits, and enroll penalty-free later if your situation changes. Most veterans using VA pharmacy skip Part D. Reasons to add it anyway: frequent travel away from VA pharmacies, retail pharmacy convenience, or a drug not on the VA formulary.
TRICARE for Life (military retirees)
If you're a military retiree (or eligible family member) entitled to Medicare Part A, in most cases you must have Medicare Part B to keep TRICARE. Once you have both Part A and Part B, TRICARE For Life coverage is automatic — no enrollment forms, no fees, and it works worldwide. When a service is covered by both, Medicare pays first and TFL pays second, typically leaving little to nothing out of pocket.
This matters: Beneficiaries entitled to Medicare Part A who decline Part B lose TRICARE eligibility — not just for some services, but entirely. To avoid a coverage gap, enroll in Part A and Part B about two months before you turn 65. TFL coverage begins the first day you have both parts.
One exception applies if you (or your spouse) are still working past 65 with employer group health coverage: you can delay Part B and use a Special Enrollment Period to sign up when that employer coverage ends, keeping TFL without a penalty. Outside of active employer coverage, there is no SEP — delaying Part B means no TRICARE and a permanent late penalty. Questions: TRICARE For Life (WPS) at 1-866-773-0404 or DMDC/DEERS at 1-800-538-9552.
Colorado VA facilities
- Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center (Aurora) — the flagship facility for the Eastern Colorado Health Care System
- VA Western Colorado Health Care System (Grand Junction)
- Community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) across the state, including Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Alamosa, Durango, Montrose, and the Eastern Plains
For rural veterans far from VA facilities, the VA Community Care program and Medicare Part B together provide the broadest access to local providers.
Get help coordinating benefits
- Colorado SHIP counselors trained in veteran Medicare issues: 1-888-696-7213
- County Veterans Service Officers (CVSOs): Every Colorado county has one — free help with VA benefits
- VA Health Benefits Hotline: 1-877-222-8387
- TRICARE for Life: 1-866-773-0404
- Licensed Medicare agents who understand VA/Medicare coordination