Q. My husband recently retired under FERS. He has the Federal Employees Health Benefits family plan. I am still working and will be for at least another 10 years under FERS. If I pick up the FEHB in open season, will he be able to switch back to FEHB once the kids reach 26 and are off our health plan, so both of us could pick up single coverage (if it’s cost advantageous at that time)? Will the switch in primary recipient be considered a cancellation on his part so that he can’t re-enroll in the future, or will my…
Browsing: self and family
Q. My husband and I are employed with different federal agencies. He is with the Veterans Affairs Department, and I am with the Defense Department. He has covered me under a family plan for the past 10 years. We are both preparing for retirement next year. Our daughter turned 27 this year and is no longer eligible for coverage under the family plan. So it is cheaper for each of us to elect our own self insurance plans, rather than for him to continue the family plan. If I elect a self plan this open season, and then retire next…
Q. I retired in 2006 from the Small Business Administration and have always had the Blue Cross/Blue Shield family plan. I carried this family plan into retirement. My wife is also a federal employee and plans to retire in 2014. She is covered under my plan — that is, she never had an individual plan of her own. I noticed that there is a $60-per-month difference between the family plan and two individual plans. Since my wife has been covered under my plan for more than five years, can she sign up for an individual plan during this open season…
Q. I have 31 years with the Postal Service, four years military. Started with USPS in March 1982. Also a disabled vet. I am confused with the payback issue regarding my military service from 1974 to 1978. I opted not to pay back and, according to everything I am reading, if I do not qualify for Social Security at 62, there will not be a deduction in annual annuity. However, I note that in the CSRS and FERS Handbook, it states the following: “If nondeduction service was performed before Oct. 1, 1982, and deposit is not made, the basic annual…
Q. I am more than 58 years old and voluntarily resigning from my position with the Veterans Affairs Department. I have 20 years of creditable FERS service and plan to postpone the start of my annuity and my retirement until my 60th birthday. I plan to submit the Form 92-19 two months prior to my 60th birthday, which will be in October 2014. In the interim, I will be obtaining my health insurance through my spouse, but I have plans to regain our family health/life insurance (held less than five years) at the same time I start my annuity, which…
Q. My wife and I both work for the Veterans Affairs Department. She has been covered under my self-and-family policy of Blue Cross/Blue Shield for the past 23 years. She will turn 65 this December. I am 59. Is she required to use Medicare for her primary insurer at age 65, or can she continue to use BC/BS as her primary insurer? We are satisfied with BC/BS, and all of our doctors take this easily. Is there a difference between use of Part A (hospitalization) versus Part B? If she chooses not to take Part B at this time, can she use BC/BS for office visits? Can…
Q. I have selected a retirement date of June 28, 2014. I will be 59½ years old with 33½ years of government service. I have been FERS my whole career. If I were to marry after retirement, what is the policy for covering my future spouse on my Federal Employees Health Benefits? If I choose to want a survivor benefit for my future spouse, is it possible to change from a self-only pension to one with survivor benefits?
Q. I am married to a retired federal employee. I have been covered on her health insurance for well over five years. She’s getting ready to have Medicare as her primary insurance and Blue Cross/Blue Shield (FEP) as her secondary coverage. Will this change anything for me on my BC/BS coverage? Will I still have the same coverage although my wife’s BC/BS is her secondary coverage?
Q. I am turning 65 in December. I am retired from the federal government and have Aetna HMO. I am also retired from the Army Reserve and have Tricare and I am 30 percent disabled from the Veterans Affairs Department (diabetic). I live in New Jersey with my wife at 59; my son is still in college at 22; my 19-year-old daughter is also in college. I work part time and use my retirement health care and Tricare to cover myself and family. I am not filing for Social Security until I am 66. I am totally confused on Medicare…
Q. I retired in 2003 after 32 years as an air traffic controller. I will reach age 65 in August 2014. My wife will not reach age 65 until March 2017. I am enrolled in the Blue Cross of Idaho Federal Employees Health Benefits plan. I have questions about Medicare. 1. If I sign up for Medicare, I understand it become my primary provider. Will my FEHB premiums be reduced, or will they stay the same? 2. Will my wife continue under FEHB until she reaches age 65? 3. Do you have any literature concerning the transition to Medicare from…