Q. Are CSRS retirees required to join Medicare by age 65?
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Q. My dad is a retired postal employee. He never opted for Medicare Part B. I do not know when he made that decision, but he is 90 now. He has had coverage with the government for the entire time, so would he be penalized if he wanted the Part B portion now after 25 years?
Q. I retired from the Postal Service in October 2008. My wife is now getting Medicare. Can I remove her from my insurance and only claim myself as a single? I also would like to know what I’m paying for my family coverage now and what I would pay if I claim as a single. Can you advise me on how to go about or whom to contact?
Q. I will be retiring from federal service Jan. 31, 2014. I am covered by FERS. I am 65 now and will be 66 when I retire. I enrolled in Medicare Part A during the time frame I was supposed to enroll (when I turned 65) and when I enrolled in Medicare part A, I declined Part B because I have health coverage (Blue Cross/Blue Shield) under the government program for such. So at this time, my primary health coverage is Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Medicare is the secondary. I have been told that after I retire, Medicare will become…
Q. I am a retired federal worker and have been on Medicare for two years. My wife is turning 65 this month. Until now, we have kept our health insurance with Blue Cross/Blue Shield since my wife did not qualify for Medicare. During the last two years, we have continued to pay the full price for family coverage since my wife needed health insurance. 1. Can we continue to keep the family coverage, group plan (as we have for almost 40 years), or are we forced to look for a supplemental plan? 2. Will my wife continue to be covered…
Q. I retired two years ago from the federal government. I will be 65 in December. How and where should I apply for Medicare? I have Blue Cross/Blue shield health insurance, and I am planning to keep that with Medicare. Now how do I apply for Medicare?
Q. I am a CSRS retiree who retired in 2009 at age 56. When I turn 65 and become eligible for Medicare, should I drop my Blue Cross/Blue Shield Federal Employees Health Benefits, which currently cost approximately $500 per month? Which Medicare “extras” should I take? What, if any, are the advantages of keeping my FEHB coverage?
Q. In an Aug. 6 comment from “John,” responding to a question posed Aug. 5 regarding what the federal Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan offers that Medicare Part A and B don’t (see http://blogs.federaltimes.com/federal-retirement/2013/08/05/fehb-coverage-2/#more-19459) John said that federal retirees must declare Medicare to be their primary insurance, but if one is enrolled in the BCBS High Option plan, it would cover most of what Medicare doesn’t. I am also a federal retiree in BCBS. But I thought that BCBS had eliminated the High Option for feds in the Federal Employees Health Benefits years ago. Am I wrong? Or has BCBS once…
Q. I’m older than my spouse, and am already on Medicare Part A. I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield for Part B, and that is our primary family insurance. When I retire, I understand that I must take Part B of Medicare (I’ll be 73 when I retire). However, my spouse will only be 61 — too young for Medicare — so I plan to continue BC/BS family plan. Do I still need to sign up for Medicare Part B even though I’ll keep the BC/BS? Or should I just keep the BC/BS for single coverage (for my spouse)?
Q. I am going to retire in four months. I am 72. Do I need to keep my federal Blue Cross/Blue Shield, or will Medicare cover all of my health care benefits? To continue Blue Cross will cost me $400 a month. Thus, I end up with about $750 a month with 13 years of federal service.