Q. I am currently a USPS Letter Carrier covered by Samba under FEHB. I plan to retire in November of 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 (in my case Samba) for 5 years to continue coverage after retirement?
Browsing: FEHBP
Q. This question is based on the scenario explained below: Adam (current FERS) has 5-year self-&-family (S&F) health coverage. His spouse, Betty (also FERS), has been under Adam’s S&F coverage. Adam decides to retire with self-only-FEHB and no Survivor Benefit Option. So Betty enrolls in her own self-only-FEHB. Adam retires end of the year. Now Betty decides to retire end of next year. At that time Betty has only 2 years of FEHB coverage completed. Does Betty need 3 more years of self-only coverage to get her FEHB into retirement? Betty was under Adam’s policy for 3 years and under 2 years…
Q. If I did not sign up for Medicare Part B when I became eligible, can I sign up now without penalty if I have a federal employee health plan and I am retired? A. No, you can’t sign up without penalty. You could have done that when you were still employed, but not after you retired.
Q. I am a federal employee with 26 years of service. I have been enrolled in FEHB for 5 years. I am considering taking a break in service to stay at home with my children. If I return to work before my MRA and obtain the remaining 3 1/2 years of service can I retire with full benefits including my FERS supplement and FEHB?
Q. I have been in the FEHB for 30 years, but would like to enroll for self and family, this open season. How long will I have to be enrolled in self and family in order to carry that coverage into retirement? A. As long as you are enrolled in the self and family option when you retire, you can carry that coverage with you.
Q. I know that to carry FEHBP into retirement, you must be enrolled for five years before retirement. Does the same apply to supplemental vision and dental care, or can they be added before retirement within the five-year period?
Q. I will turn 65 next May and have retired from the post office after 33 years. I have BC/BS with the post office, and I’m also with the VA. What happens with my coverage from the post office when I turn 65? Do I have to keep the coverage since I’m with the VA? A. Your BC/BS enrollment is under the Federal Employees Health Benefits program. It doesn’t make any difference which agency you were working for when you enrolled or which one you are working for now.
Q. I am a federal employee, 66 years old, planning to retire Jan. 3. I now have full coverage under Blue Cross Blue Shield for me and my husband. I understand that when I retire, I must sign up for Medicare Part A, but I am not sure about part B. If I elect to take Medicare Part B, and have BCBS as my supplement, may I still purchase my prescriptions through CVS Care Mark after I retire? Can you tell me the monthly cost for my spouse and myself to continue with full coverage under BCBS?
Q. I plan to retire in approximately a year at age 55. I have been covered by my wife’s insurance and we thought that I could stop coverage with my wife in the next open enrollment and go on FEP, but they told me in my office that I had to have five years on FEP before I could have coverage upon retirement. Is this true? Why wasn’t this ever brought to my attention? Do I have any options?
Q. I was a Miltec for the army and I took a postponed retirement in 2008. Up to that point I had medical coverage under the FEHB program for five years. I have reentered Miltec status and have medical coverage, but will retire before I have five years of medical coverage for this period of service. Will I still have medical coverage after retirement or will I lose it because I didn’t have medical coverage for this period of service for 5 consecutive years?