Q. I am a CSRS employee, and my husband is a FERS employee. My husband has been covered under my FEHB policy for the past 27 years. We are approaching retirement and do not wish to elect survivor benefits. After retirement, in the event of my death, will my husband be eligible to continue FEHB coverage? If I must elect a survivor benefit for him to continue coverage upon my death, what is the least amount I can elect?
A. You must elect a full survivor annuity for him unless he agrees to a lesser amount or none at all. If you both agree to no survivor annuity he’d be able to continue his coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits program and pay the premiums out of his own annuity. There is no requirement that he be enrolled in the FEHB for the five consecutive years before retirement, only that he be covered by the program when you die.
