Q. I am currently a USPS letter carrier covered by Samba under FEHB. I plan to retire in November 2016. May I switch to another provider (i.e., Blue Cross Blue Shield) during open enrollment, or do I have to be covered under the same provider for five years to continue coverage after retirement?
A. You only have to be enrolled in the FEHB program for the five consecutive years before you retire, not in one plan. In fact, you could change plans every year for the five years before you retire and carry that FEHB coverage into retirement.
