Q. I am looking into medical retirement after 32 years with the federal fire department. At this time, the Air Force doc has not cleared me to work because of some prescription meds that I take on my off days. I’m going in for thumb surgery for arthritis. I also have lower back pain, and four vertebrae are not in the greatest health. I had Blue Cross/Blue Shield before, and when I got married, I dropped it because my wife’s medical insurance was better than mine. But she lost her job and is now disabled, too, and had to get BC/BS for the…
Browsing: Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Q. I just turned 65 and have already applied for Social Security at 64. I am covered by my 64-year-old wife’s Blue Cross/Blue Shield through her employer. She plans to work until age 70, and we will both be covered by BC/BS until that time. Should I refuse Medicare A and B for now until she retires at 70? What are the consequences? A. Enrollment in Medicare Part A is automatic unless you decline that coverage. And it’s not clear to me why you’d do that because you have already paid for it through payroll deductions while you were working…
Q. I am a federal retiree, and my wife and I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits plan. Should I predecease her, is she still covered under the plan? If so, does the rate drop to single, or would she need to continue paying the family rate? I ask this because a recent response states, “The only way she can continue to be covered by your FEHB plan is for you to continue being enrolled in the self-and-family option.” A. What I wrote is correct. However, were you to die while she was covered under…
Q. I recently turned 65 and signed up for Medicare Part B. I am still working. When I go to a doctor’s office and tell them I have both Part B and Blue Cross high option, what will Part B pay for? I continue to receive notices from Blue Cross telling me how much I owe the doctor with no indication that Part B has paid anything. I thought that Part B was supposed to pay the doctor the co-pay that Blue Cross doesn’t pay. A. While you are working, Blue Cross-Blue Shield will be primary and Medicare secondary. The notices…
Q. I am three years and eight months younger than my wife. She had carried the insurance premium for both of us since 1976. I had to take up Blue Cross/Blue Shield this year myself, since Medicare is not a family plan. I plan to retire for health reasons on April 27, 2013, with 34 years of service, but I do not know if my Federal Employees Health Benefits plan will continue, due to the recent acquiring of my own plan. I was under her plan as a dependent for 35 years, but I am also a federal employee. If…
Q. I am retired and have medical family plan 105 Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance. My husband turns 65 in December and will be on Medicare. I understand I can keep his coverage under my health insurance along with his Medicare Plan. If I should die, is he still covered under this insurance? A. Yes, but only if you have elected a survivor annuity for him.
Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages to having a full spouse survivor benefit versus a partial survivor benefit? When selecting a full or partial spouse survivor benefit upon CSRS retirement, how does that affect our Blue Cross/Blue Shield health coverage in retirement? Do we pay more out-of-pocket health care costs when selecting a partial spouse survivor benefit versus a full benefit? A. A full survivor benefit, which you are required to provide by law unless your spouse agrees to a lesser amount or none at all, will provide him or her with an annuity that is 55 percent of…
Q. I am 60 years old. I am a regular rural carrier with 18 years of service so far as a full-time employee. I was hired in 1988 as a rural carrier associate. I would like to retire as soon as possible, and would like to know when I could do that. Also, I would need to keep my federal Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance. I did not make career status until 1994. Are there buyback options for me so I could go back to 1988, and how much would my health insurance cost? I would take the family option. A.…
Q. I am a 71-year-old single female, and I chose Blue Cross/Blue Shield as my primary and Medicare Part A as my secondary when I turned 65. I retired from federal service in January 2005, but since then, my Blue Cross premium has risen to $185 a month. My research tells me that even though I have to pay a 10 percent penalty per year (seven years) on the monthly premium, it is still less expensive monthly to change to Medicare as my primary and my federal medical insurance as secondary. What is the difference in coverage as I have…
Q. I changed from GEHA high deductible to Blue Cross/Blue Shield Standard Family and would like to add one of the vision plans. When I called BEST, they told me this could only be done during open season. I thought this was like an addition to the Federal Employees Health Benefits plan. I realize these are stand-alone plans, and I haven’t had a life qualifying event. I just want to get a vision plan for the first time. Have I missed the boat until the next open season? A. Yes, you’ve missed the boat. Unless you have a life qualifying…