You Must Enroll in Medicare to Receive Complete MILA Pensioner Benefits
On the date you retire, if you are eligible to enroll in Medicare and you qualify for coverage under the MILA National Health Plan as a pensioner (or the dependent of a pensioner), you must enroll in Medicare, both Part A and B, in order to have complete coverage.
If you become eligible to enroll in Medicare after you retire, you must enroll within Medicare’s initial eligibility period. If you are eligible for Medicare and do not enroll, you will not receive full benefits. That’s because the MILA National Health Plan will calculate the benefit you would have received from Medicare beginning with the date you first could have been entitled to Medicare benefits, and MILA will reduce your Plan benefit accordingly. After you enroll in Medicare, you have the following options under the MILA Plan:
- You can receive traditional Medicare coverage and MILA Wrap-Around Plan benefits; or
- You can enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan which includes Part D coverage or in a Medicare Advantage Plan and a separate Part D plan. If you enroll in this type of Plan that provides Part D coverage, the only benefit which MILA provides is reimbursement for the standard monthly Medicare Part B premium.
