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…
Browsing: Premiums
Q. I retired from the Postal Service at age 70. I did not sign up for Medicare Part B at 65. I carried my Federal Employees Health Benefits plan into retirement. I understood that as long as I kept my insurance, I would not be penalized if I decided to sign up at a later time. That was two years ago. I am considering an Advantage plan and have been told by Social Security that I will be penalized for each 12-month period since I turned 65, even though I continued to work until 70. I retired Oct. 1, 2011.
Q. I am a retired disabled military member who works in the federal government. Since I am retired, I did not opt for any of the Federal Employees Health Benefits, as I am covered through Tricare as well as the Veterans Affairs Department. So, why is it that I must pay into Medicare when I am presently covered by another form of medical coverage? What can I do to stop this $2,247.18 annual deduction? Since I am covered as a vet under VA, I don’t need additional medical coverage. This is not right. How do I get my money back?…
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…
Q. I am a federal employee at Fort Drum, N.Y., with a self-and-family Federal Employees Health Benefits program enrollment. I have two daughters: one is 25 and still in college the other is 22 and works full time in a job that offers insurance. Can I keep her on my policy so she does not have to pay the high premiums?
Q. In 1997, I retired from the federal government at age 58. I will soon be 74. When I became eligible for Medicare, I chose only Plan A, since most of Plan B would have duplicated my Blue Cross/Blue Shield benefits. My wife is 59, and went on Social Security disability in 2008. She chose only Plan A of Medicare for the above stated reason. Now, I am rethinking my situation. If we were to apply for Plan B, would we be required to pay the 10 percent annual penalty for each year because we chose not to take Plan B? If so, that would…
Q. My Illinois United Health Care of the Midwest increased by $261 per month to $742 a month. I don’t understand this, and I called them for an explanation, but no one could provide one. Isn’t this increase abnormal?
Q. As a government civilian, you have the benefit to carry your Federal Employees Health Benefits into retirement provided you: 1. Are eligible to receive an immediate annuity. 2. Are insured on the date of retirement (or covered as a family member under the FEHB program), and 3. Have been covered for the five years of service immediately preceding retirement or since your first opportunity to enroll. The decision to accept a reduction in force and move to unemployment is one option, but would you lose the right to carry FEHB into retirement because your were separated by the RIF.…
Q. I’m a federal employee. If I receive a medical disability, do I pay the full Federal Employees Health Benefits premiums plus 2 percent?
Q. I’m a federal retiree and have Blue Cross/Blue Shield as my secondary insurance. I have the high option and would like to know the difference in price and coverage vs. the lower option of Blue Cross/Blue Shield.