Q. I have GEHA health insurance and primary and Tricare Standard as secondary coverage. When I reach age 65, my wife will be 64. Thus, how will Medicare apply to she and I? Must I keep my Federal Employees Health Benefits insurance until she is 65 to be covered by Medicare? I think my Tricare coverage will convert over to Tricare for Life at 65.
Browsing: Premiums
Q. I became eligible for MRA +10 on May 14. I resigned June 1. I turned 60 on Aug. 1. I will not apply for my retirement annuity until I turn 62. I was told that I can apply for an annuity when I turn 62 on Aug. 1, 2015 and that, at that time, I am also eligible for federal government insurance. Is this correct? Additionally, if it is correct, what do federal retirees pay for health insurance in 2013 (Blue Cross/Blue Shield self-only). I realize that the price will be different in 2015.
Q. My agency has announced their intent to restructure my organization and to offer early retirement and buyouts. I understand that my annuity will be immediate with no reduction for age, and that I can receive the special retirement supplement at age 56 until age 62 when Social Security kicks in. I would be age 49 at the time of retirement with 25 years of service. I do not understand how the Federal Employees Health Benefits will work. Will I be responsible for the full amount of the premium after retirement, or will there still be a portion paid by…
Q. I plan to retire in the near future. Do I need both Medicare and regular health insurance, such as Blue Cross/Blue Shield? I am trying to reduce my health care costs in my retirement years. How will the retired federal employee be affected by Obamacare?
Q. Can you please tell me what the premium amount will be for Part B when I enroll in Medicare in November?
Q. My wife, who is younger than me, is a retired federal employee with health insurance (FEHB: Blue Cross) that covers both of us. I will turn 65 this year. If I fail to take Medicare Part B within three months of turning 65, then I will have to: 1. Wait for open enrollment for Medicare and then six months; and 2. Pay a penalty for each year. When I called Blue Cross, they indicated that if my wife continues with her plan, there is no reason to take Part B. Social Security warns me about the 10 percent-per-year cost…
Q. I am 52 years old with four years of federal service. My understanding is that I can leave federal service after five years of service (at age 53) and still receive a pension when I reach age 62. Is that correct? Also, I am trying to determine how many more years of service I need to keep federal health insurance after leaving the government. My understanding is that I need six more years, for a total of 10 years, at which time I will be close to age 59. If I remain with the federal government for 10 years…
Q. I turned 65 last November and am still working as a federal employee. As required, I filed for Medicare and became covered by it also in November. I become fully eligible for Social Security on my 66th birthday and intend to retire shortly thereafter. Since I am not currently receiving Social Security, I am paying a quarterly Medicare premium of about $320. On my earned leave statement, I notice I am also paying a “Medicare tax” on my biweekly earnings. Is this paying twice for the same thing? Or what is this Medicare tax covering?
Q. My husband would like go into private work. He has worked 13 years at a Veterans Affairs Department hospital. He is turning 56 in a few months. If he leaves VA employment, will he be able to buy the federal medical plan indefinitely afterward?
Q. I am a Defense Department employee. I have Government Employees Health Association insurance. I plan to retire in five years at 62 years of age and seven years of service with the federal government. Can I continue GEHA into retirement, or can I switch to another company? Do my premiums remain the same as active government employees?