Health Insurance for Veterans

Veterans without VA health coverage can still get health insurance.

Returning from war torn nations in the Middle-East, many of our young veterans are not old enough to have ever been in charge of their own health insurance decisions. For many, enlistment came shortly after high school graduation, before which their parents or guardians were responsible for ensuring they were insured. Here’s what our nation’s veterans, young and old, need to know about the Affordable Care Act.

Being covered by TRICARE or the Veterans Health Care Program means that you are considered insured by the federal government. In either of these cases you are not required to purchase or apply for additional health insurance in Springfield, MO in order to avoid the fee associated with being uninsured, however you are certainly able to apply for private coverage if you so choose.

If you have health insurance through either of these programs, but have dependents who are not, you may purchase insurance for your dependents through the marketplace. Apply through the marketplace to find out if you are eligible for premium tax credits to offset the cost of healthcare, Medicaid, or CHIP.  

Veterans without VA health coverage are encouraged to contact the VA to discover whether or not they are eligible for VA health insurance coverage. VA health coverage should be available for all veterans who served in active duty military for 24 months or more and separated from the military in any way but dishonorable. Contact the VA for more detailed information on VA health coverage eligibility.

For veterans who are the dependents of an eligible TRICARE sponsor must be advised that while the Affordable Care Act made it legal for adult children to be covered on their parents’ plans until the age of 26, TRICARE is only available to adult children of sponsors until the age of 21 (or 23 if enrolled in college).  Veterans looking to receive TRICARE after this age cutoff must be sure that they are listed in DEERS in order to be automatically covered by TRICARE on their own personal plans.

Veterans who do not qualify or do not choose to go through the VA or TRICARE will be required to acquire health insurance.  Whether through the marketplace or through an employer, health insurance must be acquired so that you are not charged a fee for being uninsured come tax time.

Employee Benefit Design is happy to sit down with any individual, veteran or otherwise, to help determine the best choice of health insurance plan for that individual. As brokers, Employee Benefit Design has the knowledge base to guide you towards the right plan for you.