Q. I am a federal retiree on Medicare with a Federal Employees Health Benefits Medicare Advantage Plan. I am considering leaving the FEHB Medicare Advantage Plan to enroll in a non-FEHB Medicare Advantage Plan. Is it possible to return to a FEHB Medicare Advantage Plan in the future and receive the same benefits?
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Q. My husband, a federal retiree, has recently been approved for Medicaid and is in a long-term care facility. When I submitted the application on his behalf, I also submitted the information that we had Blue Cross/Blue Shield for our primary insurance. We both opted out of taking Medicare Part B at retirement, and I am covered on his BC/BS plan. Evidently, when Medicaid was approved, someone decided that he also needed Part B and Part D, too. I was horrified to discover that he had been enrolled in these plans without his knowledge or permission. We have long since…
Q. I retired from government almost eight years ago. I have had Kaiser health insurance all this time. I am about to turn 65. I have to do something with Medicare sign-up, so I spent time with my health plan provider (Kaiser Perm) the other day and the person we talked to wasn’t sure my wife would continue on my plan should I go with them for part B or their Senior Advantage plan. I told the rep I was sure she would, but the Kaiser rep said I needed to check with the government. My wife is five years…
Q. I will be eligible for Medicare in 2014. Is there a brochure that suggests the best Federal Employees Health Benefits plan to choose when signing up for Medicare. My husband is receiving the Medicare benefits with my standard Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan. In 2014, I will be paying over $400 per month for our premium with standard BC/BS. I would like to know if it would be beneficial for me to switch to basic BC/BS vs. standard once I become eligible for Medicare.
Q. I am a CSRS retiree, age 57. When I attain age 65, am I required to enroll in Medicare? If I enroll, Medicare becomes primary and my federal health plan secondary. Why would I choose that? I live in an area with few CSRS retirees; hence, no herd to follow in this decision. Medicare looks like a less beneficial system. Where can I find info comparing CSRS federal health benefits without election to choose Medicare versus having Medicare as primary and my federal health plan (Blue Cross/Blue Shield) as secondary.
Q. I am a Postal Service retiree (CSRS) with the Blue Cross self-and-family high option. My spouse turns 65 in January. Can I continue to carry him on my plan and use it as supplemental insurance? Does he have to elect Medicare Part B, or can he just have Part A and still be covered under my insurance?
Q. I am retired and have Medicare with Blue Cross/Blue Shield as my secondary. I have to keep the family plan coverage to keep my wife covered. She is a private-sector retiree and will turn 65 in September 2014 and will be applying for her Medicare coverage. We both want to keep BC/BS as our secondary. Will we both have to go on as individual plans? If so, whom do we contact: the Office of Personnel Management, or will BC/BS do this when we tell them?
Q. I think I am overinsured. I am a civil service retiree and I have Medicare (parts A and B) and Blue Cross/Blue Shield (Standard Option). It is very hard to decide if I have duplicate coverage. I have talked to BC/BS and the Office of Personnel Management, but neither will commit to an answer. Since these are getting very expensive (and probably more costs to come), I would like to drop either Part B or BC/BS standard option (perhaps revert to Basic) unless they would all be required for complete coverage.
Q. I retired under CSRS Offset (disability) from the federal government at age 52 in 2005 with 26 years of service. I was told by human resources that, at age 62, it is mandatory that I apply for Social Security retirement, and if I did not do so, I would be subject to an overpayment that must be repaid. HR also told me that I would have no choice in the matter — that after applying for Social Security at age 62, my federal Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance would become secondary and Medicare would become primary health carrier. Is…
Q. I am a federal employee and have Blue Cross/Blue Shield as my health insurance. I will be 65 in January. What do I need to do for Medicare? Do I have to buy extra care for that?