Q. What is the difference in cost to me personally if I switch from Self and Family to Self Plus One health coverage? Also, will my wife be able continue federal BCBS after my death if I switch to Self Plus One?
Browsing: self and family
Q. I am a 30-year USPS employee, and my wife is a 20-year employee. We both plan to retire in 2017. She has been my dependent on my health insurance. Does she need to get her own health insurance before she retires? What happens if I die; can she keep my health insurance?
Q. I am retiring at age 62 under the FERS retirement system. The health care coverage I have is FEHB family coverage. When my spouse turns 65, will she need to sign up for Medicare A and B? I would be 63 and ineligible for Medicare while my wife WOULD be eligible. How would that affect my FEHB family coverage and costs? Should my wife sign up for Medicare A & B at age 65 even though I retired at age 62?
Q. I am a federal retiree and my wife is a federal employee. I pay for family coverage under FEP Blue. When our only child turns 26, should we both go to individual coverage? A. That’s entirely up to you. You’ll need to compare the premium costs with the co-pays, deductibles and catastrophic limits which will apply to both enrollments.
Q. I am 48 and will be eligible to retire in two years as I will have over 20 years in federal law enforcement. I am signed up for a family plan under FEHB which covers my 42-year old wife and a three-year-old daughter. My wife just started a Federal job that will also give her access to FEHB. As I understand it, we will continue to be covered under my FEHB for life, and my wife would just decline enrollment when she starts her job. Does this make financial or prudent sense? We don’t believe she will work long…
Q. I am enrolled in the Federal BCBS (self + family plan) and wanted to drop our 18-year-old daughter from the plan as she has moved out and does not associate with the family any longer. My local rep said this wasn’t possible but couldn’t state exactly why I couldn’t drop her … just said it couldn’t be done. I wasn’t comfortable with this answer and lack of explanation. If I am unable to drop her, who is responsible for the costs associated with her lifestyle?
Q. If my wife chose to retire now, at her minimum retirement age of 56 with 13 years of FERS service, would she be able to postpone her annuity until age 60? She currently carries FEHB (self), as long as she has had it the last five years, can I pick her up under my FEHB (self+1 or family) once she retires and then when she becomes 60 she can reinstate her own self-plan at that point?
Q. I presently have self-and-family health insurance through Blue Cross-Blue Shield. I will retain family coverage for the children but want to drop my wife from coverage. Can I legally do this? She is eligible for Medicare due to disability. I am not retired. A. No, you can’t. There are only two enrollment categories in the FEHB program: self and self-and-family. You are enrolled in the latter, which means that all your eligible family members are included.
Q. I’m enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program. It seems taking Part A of Medicare, which is free, can’t hurt. Is that true? How would taking Part B of Medicare help or hurt? I now also cover my wife and three children.
Q. Does my wife have to sign up for Medicare? If so, when does she have to sign up? And, if my wife does not sign up for Medicare, will she incur any penalty? Scenario: I am a working FERS employee and my wife still works. She is not a government employee. I have self-and-family Federal Employees Health Benefits coverage. I am not yet age 65. My wife will turn 65 this year.