Military benefits

I would appreciate it if you would publish the following information on military retiree benefits. It may help those eligible who are not informed by the government, or by those who should help inform others:

“Tricare for Life (TFL) starts Oct. 1, 2001. It provides expanded medical coverage for Medicare-eligible retirees, including retired guard members and reservists; Medicare-eligible family members and widow/widowers; and certain former spouses if they were eligible for Tricare before age 65. You must have Medicare Part B to be eligible for TFL.

“If eligible, you get all Medicare-covered benefits under the original Medicare plan, plus all TFL-covered benefits. If you use a Medicare provider, Medicare will be the first payer for all Medicare-covered services, and TFL will be the second payer. TFL will pay all Medicare co-payments and deductibles and cover most of the costs of certain care not covered by Medicare. For more information on TFL, call 1-888-363-5433 or look at www.TRICARE.osd.mil  on the Web. Call 1-800-538-9552 for other military retiree benefit questions.”

— Charles R. Greene

Salisbury