Q. I am a 58-year-old FERS employee with 20 years seniority, planning to retire, and want to defer my annuity to age 60. Am I eligible to continue my current health benefits on COBRA for now, then get them reinstated when I start collecting my annuity at age 60?
A. You mean postpone, not defer. And yes, after 31 days of premium-free Federal Employees Health Benefits coverage, you could continue that coverage for up to 18 months — at your own expense plus 2 percent — under the temporary continuation of coverage provision. You could re-enroll in the FEHB program when your annuity begins.
