Q. I am a 63-year-old Air Force civilian employee and have been employed since Sept. 2, 2008. With no break in service, I was employed by the Internal Revenue Service as a seasonal employee for approximately eight months since Feb. 20, 2008. Being a seasonal employee, I was not able to have Federal Employees Health Benefits. But I took out the coverage once I transferred over to full time with the Air Force. If I retire in February, would I be able to take my health benefits with me, or would I have to wait until September? A. The rule…
Browsing: enrollment
Q. I am 64 years old and will have five years of federal service in February. But for the first seven months (until September 2008), I was a seasonal employee for the Internal Revenue Service, until I became reinstated and was permanent full time. I could then sign up for my Federal Employees Health Benefit plan under FERS. One catch: I don’t have the five straight years of coverage under FEHB (I’m still nine months short). Can I retire in February and carry my health benefits into retirement, even though I don’t have five years of coverage? Or do I…
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 am a federal employee with 32+ years of civil service, planning on retiring in the next five years. I have been enrolled in a Federal Employees Health Benefits plan throughout my career. My husband retired from active duty Aug. 31 with 23+ years. We had dual coverage under Tricare and FEHB since August 1995, with FEHB being primary and Tricare as secondary. Now that my husband has retired, to continue to be covered under Tricare, he had to sign up for a specific Tricare plan, for which we are now charged a monthly premium. We are trying to determine…
Q. I will have 10 years of federal service as of Jan. 27, 2013. I am 59 years old. I may have a job opportunity to return to a private-sector job. If I changed jobs and deferred my annuity until age 62, would I still qualify for government insurance? A. Since you would be retiring under MRA+10, you’d be able to re-enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance programs but only if you were enrolled in them for the five consecutive years before you retired.
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. I am a government employee, but my husband is working in the private sector. To date, we have been using my husband’s health insurance because it provides excellent coverage. However, my husband’s company does not provide health coverage after retirement. To that end, I plan to enroll in a Federal Employees Health Benefits program in December since my retirement date is five years away. (My husband is retiring in five years, as well.) Does my husband need to be covered on my program for five years, too? Or can I add him in the last year prior to my…
Q. My wife retired on disability 2½ years ago after 26 years of federal service because of dementia. She has other health issues. Recently, we received a letter and a “Welcome to Medicare” brochure. We are very happy with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida. Can she refuse to go on Medicare? And what is are advantages of going on Medicare? A. There are no arguments in favor of turning down Medicare Part A. She already paid for it through payroll deductions while working. You need to look at her Federal Employees Health Benefits brochure to see what the effect would…
Q. When I retired in 2003 from civil service with the Air Force, I didn’t get good counsel, so I didn’t do survivor benefits for my spouse. He is on my self and family Blue Cross insurance. If I precede him in death, will he still be able to continue with my Blue Cross insurance as single? A. No, he won’t. For him to be able to continue that enrollment, he would have to be receiving a survivor annuity. Note: It’s not too late for you to provide one for him. To find out what’s involved and the cost, go…
Q. I retired from the federal government at age 55 with survivor benefits for my husband, who is eight years younger than I am. I will be eligible for Medicare on Dec. 1. If I opt for the Medicare parts A and B, can I reduce the costs of Blue Cross/Blue Shield by going from family plan, which covers both of us, to the single plan for him only? A. Not unless he is a federal employee or retiree and, as such, eligible to enroll on his own.