Browsing: FEHBP

Q. My husband retired in CSRS at age 55. He will turn 62 in January and plans to collect his Social Security benefits then. He has BCBS federal basic family plan, which includes me. Is he required to accept Medicare Part A? If so, how does that affect my coverage? I am not collecting any retirement or Social Security benefits at this time, as I am just now 60. A. He isn’t required to apply for Medicare Part A; however, since he has already paid for the coverage and the way his FEHB plan will operate after he becomes eligible…

Q. My husband retired in CSRS at age 55. He will turn 62 in January and plans to collect his Social Security benefits then. He has BCBS federal basic family plan, which includes me. Is he required to accept Medicare Part A? If so, how does that affect my coverage? I am not collecting any retirement or Social Security benefits at this time, as I am just now 60. A. He isn’t required to apply for Medicare Part A; however, since he has already paid for the coverage and the way his FEHB plan will operate after he becomes eligible…

Q: I am 68 and a CSRS retiree. What are the advantages of enrolling in Medicare Part A when I am already covered under the FEHB? A: You want some advantages? First, it’s free. You already paid for it through payroll deductions while you were working. Second, the combination of Medicare Part A and your FEHB plan will reduce or eliminate most of the deductibles and out-of-pocket charges for hospital care. Third, because the two programs don’t always cover the same things or in the same way, they tend to complement each other, giving you better coverage at lower cost.

Q. I plan to retire in a few years. I am currently 67 years old, participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan with Blue Cross Blue Shield and am enrolled in Medicare Part A, which is free and required at 65. I do not wish to participate in Medicare Part B because, from the way I see it, I would be paying for two primary insurers even when I retire. Am I entitled to continue with my FEHB as my primary coverage, and would I be entitled to the same choices as though I were still working for the…

Q. I am 62, and will be retiring from the Postal Service within three months, rather unexpectedly. We will be continuing with my current Blue Cross Blue Shield plan for annuitants. My wife is 65, and declined Medicare Part B since I was still working. Will it be necessary for her to sign up for Part B, or will the continued Federal Employees Health Benefit plan suffice? A. She doesn’t have to sign up for Medicare Part B. However, before she makes up her mind, the two of you need to weigh the potential costs and benefits of that decision.…

Q. I have been receiving workers’ comp benefits since 1981. I have no Civil Service Retirement System benefits available, as I withdrew my contributions when I was separated from service. I am now 65 years old and have applied for Medicare. I have maintained my Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance through the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs. There is now a dispute as to whether that insurance is primary or Medicare is primary. The question seems to revolve around the following question: Am I “retired” or am I still employed? Do you know the answer? A: Workers’ compensation is an income…

Q. I am covered under my wife’s Blue Cross/Blue Shield federal plan, even though we both retired from the Postal Service. I am now on Medicare, and Medicare is my primary health coverage (I have plans A and B), with BCBS being secondary. My wife is 62. My question is: Should my wife’s (our) BCBS coverage premium be reduced since BCBS is now secondary and not covering me like it did before I went on Medicare? A. No. There isn’t any provision in law that would permit that.

Q. I am a Civil Service Retirement System retiree approaching age 65. My wife and I have been covered by Blue Cross/Blue Shield Standard Option FEHB since retiring in 2002. My wife will not be eligible for Medicare until 2013, and she has never been employed by the federal government. Do I maintain my Federal Employees Health Benefit plan for both of us in order for her to be covered? Or is there some provision that will permit me to pay a Medicare Part B premium for my portion of the health care coverage out of my annuity while maintaining…

Q. I am a federal annuitant and have Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan 105 for myself and my spouse. We also subscribe to Medicare Part B. Since there are overlaps between Medicare Part B and FEHBP, I am considering stopping Medicare Part B. How do I do a cost-benefit analysis of retaining vs. stopping Medicare Part B? Also, please let me know about which state and federal help agents I can approach. A. To the best of my knowledge, there isn’t any publication or software that will allow you to do a cost-benefit analysis. There are simply too many variables.…

Q: My husband is retired from civil service. We were not married at the time of his retirement. It has been three years since we married and I wanted to know if I was able to get coverage on his health insurance. We had attempted to get some help locally when we first got married but we were told no. A: He could have done that from 31 days before you married through 60 days after the event. Since he didn’t, he can still change from self-only to self-and-family coverage during the upcoming FEHB open season.

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