Q. I need to suspend my Federal Employees Health Benefits. I am turning 65 and am eligible for TRICARE for life. I have gone to several sites, and tried to call the Office of Personnel Management without success. Please help.
Author Reg Jones
Reg Jones
Reg Jones was head of retirement and insurance policy at the Office of Personnel Management. Email your retirement-related questions to fedexperts@federaltimes.com.
Q. I’m 66 years old still working in federal service, at the Department of Defense, under the CSRS plan. Will I get full Social Security benefit because I’m still working? I’m planning on retiring from federal service at the age of 70.
Q. Why is my mother only going to receive 55 percent of the survivor annuity amount? Why doesn’t she get the whole amount due?
Q. How do I suspend my health insurance coverage? I will be eligible for my Air Force Reserve Retirement (100 percent VA health care and later TRICARE), Social Security (Medicare health coverage) and my annuity as a VA Medical Center employee (FEHBP). When I become eligible for TRICARE health coverage, I desire to suspend my civilian coverage and use TRICARE as primary and Medicare as secondary.
Q. When will the 2017 FEHB program Open Season be held?
Q. I’m 60 years old now, CSRS Offset, with 26 years of service. What will I be losing if I retire now at 60 instead of 62 years old?
Q. If I retire when I’m 52 years old and 30 years of service, can I get the FERS Special Retirement Supplement when my MRA is reached at 56 and 6 months?
Q. My just-deceased husband and I had been together for over 25 years. We were married for 13 years. Divorced, but lived together for nine years. Then we remarried for an additional three years. When he retired CSRS, he voluntarily elected survivor benefits for me as a former spouse. We didn’t remarry til I was 58. The election for survivor benefits states that it’s for me as a former spouse. Since the election was done when I was the former spouse, am I still entitled to receive the spousal benefits?
Q. I have a drinking problem and now the U.S. Post Office has given me papers to suggest separation. I am 55 years old. I went ahead and put in retirement papers for next year. Can they fire me and cause me to lose my retirement benefits? What is the best way to handle this situation? I have 32 years in. And aren’t they supposed to offer me rehab for my addiction?
Q. I am considering remarrying. Would I still be able to collect retirement benefits and insurance provided by my deceased husband?