Q. I retired in 2009 with 25 years’ service in USPS. One year before my early retirement, my husband (a current Department of Defense employee) and I changed FEHB from a self-only plan in Blue Cross to a family plan, with him carrying the insurance. We were told by Blue Cross that I had to drop my self-only plan so he could pick me upon his family plan, which we each did during open season. Unknown to me, his pay period did not begin Saturday in federal service like mine did in USPS. The bank always credited his account on…
Browsing: HEALTH INSURANCE
Q. One of the features of Obama’s health care plan is a 40 percent tax on “Cadillac Health Care Plans” starting in 2018. Those whose employers pay for all or most of comprehensive health care plans (costing $10,200 for an individual or $27,500 for families) will have to pay a 40 percent tax on the amount their employer pays. The 2018 start date is said to have been a gift to unions, which often have comprehensive plans. Do federal government worker health care plans fall under this tax? If so what is the impact (financial) on us? A. My crystal…
Q. I am a postal employee. Approximately what percent more do federal employees pay for their part of health coverage than postal employees? Is this the same percentage my premiums will increase after I retire if I keep the same coverage I had while I was working? A. The premium rates for most federal employees are set by a formula where the maximum government contribution is set at 72 percent of the weighted average cost of all plans, not to exceed 75 percent of the cost of any specific plan. As a result of negotiation with its unions, the Postal…
Q. I’ve been federal employee under FERS since 1993, all full time with medical benefits until 2009, when I went to part time (official tour is .5, but I average 25 to 30 hours per week). I stupidly stopped my medical insurance for one year in 2010, but then immediately resumed when I learned of the five-year rule in 2011. The problem is that I had hoped to retire at 60 with more than 20 years in 2016, but even though that does give me the five consecutive years of health insurance before retirement, being part-time affects the five-year rule,…
Q. I am planning to retire soon with 30 years of federal service and am CSRS. I carry a family health insurance policy because my husband is retired and his company did not offer anything for him to carry into retirement. He has been on my plan for several years. My plans are to NOT take a survivor annuity. Should I die before him, will he be allowed to continue the health insurance? If not, can I ensure that if I die before him that he can continue the insurance coverage? A. The only way you can ensure that he…
Q. As a retired Air Force reservist, I (and my wife) went under Tricare Prime when I turned 60 on Nov. 28, 2010. Before that date, we were covered under Blue Cross Blue Shield federal health insurance as our primary provider. When I retired from federal service after 40 years of service Jan. 1, 2011, I suspended our Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance and made Tricare Prime our primary health insurance provider. Because of problems we have encountered with Tricare Prime, I would like to reinstate Blue Cross Blue Shield as our primary health care insurance and drop my Tricare…
Q. I am eligible to retire this year from federal law enforcement (age 51 with 20 years as an officer). I am serving on active-duty military orders, which will continue for the next three years. If I retire from my law enforcement position, can I suspend (NOT cancel) my health care coverage option (and premiums) while I am on active duty and covered by Tricare? I would not be eligible for Tricare between ages 55 and 60 and therefore would not want to lose access to this important coverage when my military tour ends. A. Yes, you can suspend your FEHB coverage under…
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…
Q. We have GEHA high option (Code 312) for our family. I just got the letter from Medicare about choosing Medicare Part B. However, even if I am on Medicare after retiring, my wife will have seven more years before being eligible for Medicare. Thus, I am considering continuing GEHA high for both of us and not taking Medicare B, since GEHA 312 covers expenses quite well and my wife would need health insurance. If I take Medicare B and drop GEHA, I would have Medicare A and B, but she would have no health insurance. Is the above correct?…
Q. I recently turned 65 and am retired and collecting Social Security and have Medicare Part A. My husband works for the government and has self and family health coverage. Am I still covered under his policy? A. Yes.