Q: A friend of mine is currently receiving disability from the Postal Service. When she turned 65 and applied for Medicare, she was told she did not qualify because she did not have enough credits. Part of the time that she worked for the Postal Service does not show up on her Social Security service report. Is there any way to prove that she worked during that time? If so, can this count toward Medicare credits? A: It’s not a question of whether she worked during that time; it’s whether Medicare deductions were taken from her pay. If that service was before…
Browsing: Medicare
Q: In November 2011, I will be 65 and start Medicare Part A. I am retired military and currently have FEHB and Tricare. Tricare is telling me I will have to take Medicare Parts A and B to keep Tricare. I plan to continue to work past age 65 and would like to keep my FEHB. Is there an easy way to determine the best mix of FEHB, Medicare and Tricare, both while I’m working and when I retire? A: None that I know of. However, if any of our readers who are or have been in a similar position…
Q: My husband has carried family federal Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance, low option 105, for many years, and we have been satisfied with that coverage. Now that we are age 65 and are keeping our insurance and signing up for Medicare Part A because it is free, is there any reason to also purchase Medicare Part B? It seems to me that it would just be paying for double coverage that we already have. Do we also need Medicare Part B? A: Only you can determine if it’s worth it to also pay for Medicare Part B. You’ll have…
Q: I recently read your answer to a federal retiree asking why her Medicare Part B deduction increased while her husband’s, a Social Security retiree, did not. Your response was that since Social Security retireees’ cost-of-living adjustment was zero, that was the reason his Medicare deduction did not increase. As a federal retiree, my cost-of-living adjustment for the last two years was zero also, however my Medicare deduction did increase. Can you tell my why? A: I have to assume that you aren’t receiving a Social Security benefit. Otherwise you wouldn’t have had any increase in your Medicare Part deduction.…
Q: I am a retired postal employee under CSRS who has a monthly premium taken from my annuity for Blue Cross Blue Shield for myself and my spouse. I retired in 2002 with 35 years of service and have been receiving my annuity for just over nine years. My wife just turned 61 in March and does not work. I also just hit 40 quarters and am now eligible for Social Security, although reduced by the windfall elimination provision. I will be 65 in October and am aware that I must apply for Medicare 3 a month before. Since Medicare…
Q: With Medicare what will BCBS cover? If you cannot find a doctor who takes Medicare, will BCBS cover the doctor as it would have before signing up for Medicare? A: You’ll find the answers to your questions in your Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan brochure. Read Section 4, Your costs for covered services, and, in particular, When you have the Original Medicare Plan (Part A, Part B, or both).
Q. I am currently obtaining my health care benefits through the VA (disabled vet). I will be 65 years old in May. When I turn 65, I understand that I will fall under Medicare. I will then be eligible for Medicare Part A. Will I also be eligible for Part B? Also, if eligible for Part B, will I have to pay for this benefit? What do I have to do to be eligible for both part A and part B without having to pay premiums for Part B? If I hold off applying for Social Security until age 66,…
Q. I am a FERS employee with DoD. I plan to retire in December 2016 at age 61. At that time I will have 35 years of service. I will be 62 in February of 2017. My high three will be about $124,000. I am trying to estimate my take-home pay from Social Security and FERS. My FERS annuity will be about $49,000 per year. My Social Security will be about $22,000 per year. Do I have to pay federal taxes on FERS and Social Security, and state taxes (Michigan)? Social Security on the FERS annuity? Medicare on Social Security…
Q. Retiring in 2012, I have FEHB and Tricare at present and will sign up for Medicare before retiring. I don’t think I will need FEHB after retirement but would like to keep my options open. I understand you can request that your FEHP be put in abeyance at the time of retirement but reinstate it at a later period. If this is correct, how do you do it? A. Yes, you can suspend your FEHB coverage rather than canceling it. To find out how to do that, go to www.opm.gov/insure/health/eligibility/tricare.asp and click on Frequently Asked Questions.
Q: I am a retired federal employee and receive an annuity. I pay for my Medicare Part B quarterly. I would like to have this cost deducted monthly from my annuity. Is there a form to do this? If so, where can I get this form? A: According to OPM, if you aren’t receiving Social Security benefits, you can have Medicare premiums withheld from your annuity payments. To do this, OPM must receive a request for the withholding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. They cannot withhold premiums based on your direct request or even one from the…