Q. I am a 59-year-old FERS employee with 16 years of service and I have been enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits plan for the past 10 years. I am being removed for medical inability immediately and will have a disability retirement application pending with the Office of Personnel Management. I’d rather not pay the COBRA rate for health insurance while my application is pending (six-month processing time). However, if I am denied disability, do I lose forever my ability to continue under my federal health insurance as I would have had I retired under MRA+10?
A. If you are approved for disability retirement, your entitlement to FEHB coverage would allow you to continue it even if you had let it lapse while waiting for a decision.
