Free and accessible medical care is one of the best benefits of military service. But what happens when servicemembers retire or separate? How do they continue to receive medical care and coverage?

While on active duty, most servicemembers (and their dependents) receive mostly free medical care through TRICARE. However, once they retire, servicemembers must reenroll and pay an annual enrollment fee ($230 per individual and $460 per year for a family) for their TRICARE Prime coverage. However, there are no co-pays or outpatient deductibles, and retirees and their dependents enrolled in TRICARE Prime can continue to receive prescription medication at no charge at a Military Treatment Facility (MTF). TRICARE Prime Remote is not an option after retirement.

Retirees may also opt for TRICARE Standard or Extra coverage. Enrollment is not required, but there is an annual deductable for outpatient care. MTF care is available on a space-available basis only.

TRICARE for Life (TFL) is for beneficiaries age 65 and older who are eligible for Medicare. To maintain their TRICARE coverage, TFL beneficiaries must purchase Medicare Part B, and they cannot enroll in TRICARE Prime.

Retirees also have the option of enrolling in the U.S. Family Health Plan system, which falls under TRICARE. Enrollment costs the same as TRICARE Prime, but pharmacy benefits are not available and USFHP enrollees may not use an MTF for care. For more information about TRICARE eligibility and benefits, visit www.tricare.mil, www.triwest.com or call (888) 874-9378.

Servicemembers who simply separate after a tour of duty may be eligible for care at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities around the country. But while free or low cost, care and eligibility with the VA is complicated.

Individuals who were active military - including naval or air service and members of the National Guard or Reserve who were called to active duty - and released under conditions other than dishonorable may qualify for VA care benefits. Veterans who enlisted after Sept. 7, 1980 must have served at least 24 continuous months to be eligible.

Once enrolled, veterans can receive care at any of the 1,400 VA health care facilities in the country. The VA groups its beneficiaries according to priority. Group 1, with the highest priority, includes veterans with service-connected disabilities of 50-percent or more and veterans deemed unemployable due to service-connected conditions. Group 8, the lowest priority, is made up of veterans whose income is above the national VA income threshold. Groups 7 and 8 are required to pay co-pays for care.

"It is important to note that VA health care is not considered a health insurance plan," according to the VA website (www.va.gov). "Since VA health care depends primarily on annual congressional appropriations, VA encourages veterans to retain any health care coverage they may already have."

Family members of veterans may be eligible for CHAMPVA, a VA program not related to CHAMPUS or TRICARE. To be eligible, family members cannot be eligible for TRICARE. Some examples of eligibility include: the spouse or child of a veteran who has been rated permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability or the surviving spouse or child of a veteran who died from a VA-rated, service-connected disability.

For more information about VA eligibility and benefits, visit www.va.gov/health or call (877) 222-VETS (8387).