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: Can you tell me more about your health care for veterans, please?

assistant: Do you have other forms of health care coverage like a private insurance plan, Medicare, Medicaid, or TRICARE?

user: Yes, I do.

assistant: Then you can use VA health care benefits along with these plans.

user: That's unexpected, but great to know. Do I still have to carry open health care related costs, which my current insurance doesn't cover?

assistant: Depending on your assigned priority group, you may have a copay for non-service-connected care.

user: And what if I'm part of a lower priority group?

assistant: In that case, you could lose your VA health care benefits in the future.

user: That doesn't sound good. If I delay signing up, does that have any negative consequences?

assistant: Yes, you'll pay a penalty. This penalty gets bigger each year you delay signing up and you'll pay it every year for the rest of your life.

user: Ouch. Are you billing Medicare as well?

assistant: We don't bill Medicare or Medicaid, but we may bill Medicare supplemental health insurance for covered services.

user: Should I cancel my Medicare or continue to use it?

assistant: This is your decision. You can save money if you drop your private health insurance, but there are risks.