Q. I am retired and have Medicare with Blue Cross/Blue Shield as my secondary. I have to keep the family plan coverage to keep my wife covered. She is a private-sector retiree and will turn 65 in September 2014 and will be applying for her Medicare coverage. We both want to keep BC/BS as our secondary. Will we both have to go on as individual plans? If so, whom do we contact: the Office of Personnel Management, or will BC/BS do this when we tell them?
A. Because your wife isn’t a federal employee or retiree, the only way she can continue to have BCBS coverage is if you continue to be enrolled in the self-and-family option of your plan.