VA health care and other insurance 
If you have other forms of health care coverage like a private insurance plan, Medicare, Medicaid, or TRICARE , you can use VA health care benefits along with these plans. Learn more about how VA works with other health insurance. 

Why does VA require me to provide information on my health insurance coverage (including coverage under a spouse s plan)? 
We ask for this information because we have to bill your private health insurance provider for any care, supplies, or medicine we provide to treat your non - service - connected conditions illnesses or injuries that aren t related to your military service. We don t bill Medicare or Medicaid , but we may bill Medicare supplemental health insurance for covered services. 

What if my health insurance provider doesn t cover all the non-service-connected care that VA bills them for? 
You won t have to pay any unpaid balance not covered by your health insurance provider. But , depending on your assigned priority group , you may have a copay for non - service - connected care. Learn more about eligibility priority groups 

Does it help me in any way to give VA my health insurance information? 
Yes. Giving us your health insurance information helps you because : When your private health insurance provider pays us for your non - service - connected care , we may be able to use the funds to offset part or all of your VA copayment. Your private insurer may apply your VA health care charges toward your annual deductible the amount of money you pay toward your care each year before your insurance starts paying for care. 

Does my current health insurance status affect whether I can get VA health care benefits? 
No. Whether or not you have health insurance coverage doesn t affect the VA health care benefits you can get. 

If I m signed up for the VA health care program, does that mean I meet the requirements to have health care under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)? 
Yes. Being signed up for VA 

user: Are you allowed to use other health insurance along with the VA health care insurance?

assistant: Do you have other health insurance plans like Medicaid, Medicare, or TRICARE?

user: Yes, I have medicare at this time.

assistant: You can use your Medicare as well as your VA health care benefits; we can help you learn more about this.

user: Why does the VA make me provide my health insurance coverage information?

assistant: The VA needs to bill your private health insurance for any care, supplies, or medicine we use to treat your non-service connected conditions, illnesses or injuries.

user: What do I need to do to use VA benefits for care?

assistant: You will need to get care from a VA medical center and we will cover care if we pre-authorize you for a non-VA hospital or care setting.

user: Will I need to choose which benefits to use?

assistant: Yes, you will need to choose which benefits to use based on your situation.

user: What if I do not want to keep my private insurance?

assistant: You would be without health coverage at that time.

user: Could I save money if I drop my private health insurance?

assistant: You would absolutely save money; but there are risks involved when dropping your private health insurance.