Q. As I am about to start receiving Social Security benefits, I find myself confused in regards to Medicare. I am fully covered under my wife’s medical coverage for at least 10 more years, including dental, eye, etc. Can I refuse the government Medicare Part A and all of the other options if I choose to? If so, is the correct form CMS-1763? I have not received any payments thus far, as I opted to wait for full retirement at 66. A. While you can refuse Medicare Part A coverage, I’m not sure why you’d want to do that. It…
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Q. I turn 65 in March and would like to suspend my FEHB, but I am concerned that I won’t have health coverage until Medicare kicks in. How should I proceed? I’ve have been told that you can suspend your FEHB, but I don’t know the process or how long the grace period is after such an action. A. There are only two ways you can suspend your FEHB enrollment. 1) If you are enrolling in Tricare, CHAMPVA or a Medicare Advantage plan or 2) If you are going to be carried under your spouse’s own FEHB enrollment.
Q. My husband has been declared disabled and begins Medicare A and B on Jan. 1. I am a current federal employee with plans to retire in about six years. Will my husband’s Medicare be primary for him, or will my Blue Cross/Blue Shield? I called BCBS to inform them of him becoming Medicare eligible, and they told me I would have to call back in November. I then asked if they pay what Medicare doesn’t, and they said they will be the primary for my husband. I don’t understand this and am wondering why. A. Medicare will be primary…
Q. The cost of optional Medicare Part B coverage goes up by $60 this year and a lot more the year after. I want to rescind this coverage. Am I right in assuming that it is still optional? A. Yes, enrollment in Medicare Part B is optional. Call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213.
Q. I plan on retiring at the end of 2014. I have been with the service 33½ years under CSRS. I have a couple of incurable medical issues, so I go to the doctor and hospital regularly. I have always paid into FEHP and have had BC/BS for more than five years. My question is regarding medical insurance. Do I have to obtain Medicare parts B, C and D? I will be continuing to pay into my FEHP when I retire but want to know if I should get any of those other plans because I do not want to…
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’m retiring under CSRS on Dec. 31. I’m covered by Federal Employees Health Benefits. I intend to sign up for Part B and keep FEHB. My wife is under my FEHB and Medicare A/B. When would be the best time for me to sign up for Medicare Part B? Under Part B, how do I know what level of coverage I need under FEHB? Should I keep what I have now? A. There is a seven-month initial enrollment period for Medicare Part B. It begins three months before you turn 65 and ends three months after that month. It’s…
Q. 1) What are all the deductions that are taken out of a federal employee’s check when they retire? 2) Do these reductions stay at the same amount prior to retirement? 3) I have 33 years of service at age 51. I know there is a 2 percent penalty for each year under 55, but what about the three years I worked over 30? What happens to those? A. 1) Federal income tax; and, depending on your situation, state tax, FEHB, FEGLI and FEDVIP premiums, savings account deductions and allotments to organizations to which you belong. If you are receiving…
Q. I’m a 79-year-old single federal retiree in CSRS. If I marry a woman 10 years younger, what percentage of my retirement will she receive when I die? I also am a military retiree with Medicare and Tricare for Life, so I wouldn’t need the civilian health insurance. A. As a CSRS retiree, you could elect any amount of annuity for your spouse, from $1 a year to 55 percent of your annuity. To pay for it, there would be two reductions in your annuity. The first would be the standard reduction to provide for the survivor benefit. The second…