Q: My husband retired from the fire department, and now he is disabled. He falls under the windfall rule. His pension will eliminate any Social Security benefits. My question is, could he still apply for Medicare disability? He has worked enough credits under Social Security, but not in the last 10 years. A: He can still apply for Social Security disability. However, to be considered, he would need to have been covered by the Social Security system for a certain period of time just prior to the onset of his disability. You’ll need to check with the Social Security Administration…
Browsing: Medicare
Q: I am a recent retiree, younger than 65, and have just received my final annuity computations. I expected Medicare would continue to be deducted and have now read two puzzling things: That Medicare is not taken from annuity payments, and that I must contact the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to have payments withheld. By law, I understand Medicare becomes my primary payer, with my federal health plan second, when I turn 65. My question is: As a retiree under the Civil Service Retirement System, do I “owe” 1.75 percent of my monthly annuity to Medicare and must…
Q: I am a Civil Service Retirement System annuitant who will turn 65 soon. I have a Federal Employees Health Benefits plan. Must I sign up for Medicare Part B and/or Part D? What are the consequences if I don’t? Will my FEHB plan continue to cover my health care costs if I don’t sign up for Medicare? I have signed up for Part A because I paid for it over my working career. A: No, you don’t have to sign up for Medicare Part B or Part D. Whether you should is a decision you’ll have to make. Your…
Q: I will be retiring from federal service at age 58 with 35 years of service under the Civil Service Retirement System. I have been paying the 1.45 percent Medicare biweekly payment since its inception in 1983. Will this tax be deducted from my monthly CSRS annuity until I reach age 65? And, without 40 quarters of paying into Social Security, does paying the Medicare tax for 17 years qualify me for free Medicare Part A? A: Deductions for Medicare Part A are only required for those who have earnings from wages or self-employment, not annuities. The fact that you…
Q: I am a 69-year-old federal retiree covered by a Blue Cross/Blue Shield Standard Option 105 health plan as well as Medicare Part A. I recently spoke with Blue Cross about reimbursement levels for doctor care when I received a bill from my internist for $400 and Blue Cross paid $100. According to Blue Cross, I was responsible for the remaining $300 because Congress had passed rules (they may have meant that the Office of Personnel Management generated a rule, I am not sure) that limited the amount they could reimburse Medicare patients for a given procedure. When I checked…
Q: I intend to retire Dec. 31 from the Department of Health and Human Services. I have had a family health insurance plan (Blue Cross/Blue Shield) for 20-plus years. My wife is a federal government employee. We want to transfer coverage from my agency to her agency (Labor Department) during the open season. First, how do we make sure that the transfer of payment for coverage and the policy will assure that the five-year required continuous coverage is maintained? Second, if we are able to transfer and maintain continuous coverage, will my wife’s plan be my primary insurance after retirement,…
Q: I am a retired federal employee, almost 65 years old, and I have to decide whether to sign up for Medicare Part B. Whether I sign up or not, I will continue with the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (currently Government Employees Health Association, which has a maximum annual $5,000 out-of-pocket expense). The Part B decision seems to be one of costs versus benefits. I would pay about $1,400 per year for Part B and would save/eliminate most of my out-of-pocket expenses. I rarely spend more than about $1,000 a year in out-of-pocket expenses. It’s almost impossible to…
Q: I will be retiring when I am 62 and my wife is 64. Currently my health care works fine but I am lost when it comes to Medicare. When we hit 65 are we required to get Medicare parts A and B? And if we do have to get Medicare, which one will be our primary? A: If you have had Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) deductions taken from your pay, you will be eligible for Medicare Part A. If you are retired, you won’t have to pay any premiums for this benefit. On the other hand, with Medicare…
Q: I am 60 and will retire Nov. 3 with 37 years under CSRS. My wife is 59 and we are covered under Federal Employees Health Benefits. She is disabled and receiving Social Security benefits. My question is, when will she have to sign up for Medicare Part B and which insurance will be primary? A: According to the Social Security Administration, because she is under 65 and disabled, she’ll automatically get Part B. She’ll get her Medicare card in the mail about 3 months before her 65th birthday or after her 25th month of disability. Because she is unemployed, Medicare…
Q: I am a CSRS federal retiree with 35 years of service who will turn 65 in late December. Will I automatically receive Medicare Part A and Part B or will I have to sign up for Part B? If not, can I apply for Part B before I receive Part A? I am not due to receive Part A until December 1. I am currently covered by Anthem Federal Blue Cross in New Hampshire. I retired from federal service in 2005. A: You don’t automatically get either Medicare Part A or Part B. You have to apply for them.…