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A Guide to Medicare and VA Health Care

8 minute readLast updated December 18, 2023
fact checkedon December 14, 2023
Written by Kara Lewis
Reviewed by Letha McDowell, CELA, CAPCertified Elder Law Attorney Letha Sgritta McDowell is a past president of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.
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Although there are many types of health and financial benefits for veterans, families and caregivers often aren’t aware of them. VA health care is a type of medical benefits package for honorably discharged veterans who served in the U.S. military. Many older adults who are eligible for VA health care also qualify for Medicare, a national health care insurance plan available to all seniors. It’s important to understand how to combine the two to best meet your or your loved one’s care needs.

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What is VA health care?

Honorably discharged veterans who served in the U.S. military may qualify for VA health care, which is a type of medical benefits package. Baseline VA health care services are separate from other types of advanced VA benefits, such as VA Aid and Attendance, which may help low-income seniors pay for assisted living or home care costs.

Almost 50% of U.S. military veterans are over the age of 65, according to a July 2023 report from the U.S. Census Bureau, making VA health care a popular option for senior health care coverage.[01]

VA health care may help cover many — but not all — health care services for eligible veterans. Services may include:[02]

  • Preventive health testing
  • Routine eye exams
  • Nutrition and dietitian counseling
  • Flu shots and other immunizations
  • Surgeries
  • Dialysis
  • Organ transplants
  • X-rays
  • Blood work
  • Rehabilitation services
  • Therapy and other mental health counseling
  • Emergency care

Veterans typically must receive care at a preferred VA facility to be eligible for coverage. To find a convenient location for you or your loved one, you can use this comprehensive database of VA facilities.

Recent changes to VA health care eligibility

In September 2021, Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough implemented a policy to reassess dishonorably discharged veterans for VA benefit eligibility. Under this new policy, those who received other-than-honorable discharges due to sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status during “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” are eligible for all benefits available to honorably discharged veterans. LGBTQ+ veterans who haven’t applied for a military discharge appeal should consider doing so to determine their eligibility for health and senior care services.[03]

What is Medicare?

Medicare is a U.S. federal insurance program that helps people 65 and older meet their medical needs. Just like with private insurance, anyone enrolled in Medicare will have copays and deductibles. Seniors can choose between multiple Medicare health plans.

Medicare covers short term rehabilitative services in a skilled nursing facility or nursing homes, such as: [04]

  • Ambulance services
  • Anesthesia
  • Bariatric surgery
  • Cardiac rehabilitation
  • Chemotherapy
  • Diabetes prevention
  • Dialysis
  • Flu shots and other immunizations
  • Inpatient hospital care
  • Mammograms
  • Radiology

Medicare won’t cover the costs of assisted living or independent living facilities. For a more extensive list of Medicare services, visit the government’s official Medicare coverage page.

Can you combine Medicare and VA health care?

Many seniors enhance their coverage and health care options by enrolling in both Medicare and VA health care coverage. In fact, retirees with VA health care are encouraged to sign up for Medicare for more versatility and peace of mind.

When you or your loved one needs care, you can choose which benefits to use. Medicare allows seniors to visit non-VA facilities and doctors, which can be helpful for visits to specialists. Medicare Part D, which covers prescription drugs, also enables seniors to fill prescriptions through local pharmacies rather than through the VA’s mail-order service.

In addition to these wider options, seniors should keep long-term health needs in mind. If a veteran doesn’t sign up for Medicare when initially eligible but wants to sign up at a later date, they may encounter a penalty fee, according to the official Medicare website. Additionally, if the amount of government funding for the VA medical program changes, veterans in lower priority groups may be at risk for losing their coverage.

TRICARE for Life: A Medicare benefit for veterans

TRICARE for Life is a unique Medicare wraparound benefit designed specifically to meet the health care needs of veterans. It allows senior veterans access to both a network of civilian health care professionals and the resources of the Military Health System — like military hospitals and VA clinics.

TRICARE offers coverage for active as well as retired service members and their families. With TRICARE for Life, Medicare is still the primary payer. However, TRICARE pays second to Medicare, which can cover costs your normal Medicare benefits don’t in the same way as a traditional Medicare supplement. The costs of a TRICARE plan reflect the level of coverage offered. You can learn more about TRICARE health plans online.

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How to apply for Medicare and VA health care

Veterans interested in applying for VA medical coverage can complete the process online. To assist in this application process, veterans will need their discharge papers, most recent tax return, and Social Security numbers for themselves and any dependents. They should also have access to account numbers for currently held insurance (including Medicare and private insurance).

Adults 65 and older can apply for Medicare through the U.S. Social Security website. Seniors should have tax documents and their Social Security number on hand.

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Other veterans benefits resources

Navigating the VA application process, as well as how Medicare and VA health care intersect, can be a complicated and ongoing experience. Here are some other helpful resources for continuing to learn about VA health care:

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  1. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2023, November 15). About VA health benefits.

  2. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2021, September 20). Tenth Anniversary of the Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

  3. Medicare Advantage. (2019, June). Medicare Advantage Fact Sheet.

  4. TRICARE. (2023, August 24). What is TRICARE?

Meet the Author
Kara Lewis

Kara Lewis is a former copywriter at A Place for Mom, where she wrote dozens of articles related to senior living, with a special focus on veterans, mental health, and how to pay for care. Before covering senior living, she worked in journalism, media, and editing at publications. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Reviewed by

Letha McDowell, CELA, CAP

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.

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