Q. Can FEHB suspension be done only in retirement? How can suspension be done working as an active federal employee with Medicare and Tricare for Life? One may want to keep working for the government but not have to pay FEHB fees and use Medicare Part A with its fees along with Medicare Part B free and TFL benefits included due to being a military retire. Why would one want to have such overkill in health care benefits and costs? Could you explain the process in a scenario such as this, and could either a continuing active employee or a…
Browsing: Tricare for Life
Q. Can a retired employee quit his Federal Employees Health Benefits in retirement for, say, Tricare for Life and Medicare if retired military, and later opt to switch back to FEHB?
Q. On Jan. 18, there was question about which is primary between these two programs, and the answer ended with “whether you keep both [Federal Employees Health Benefits] and Tricare is something you’ll have to decide.” How do you decide? Where can I find a clear, side-by-side comparison of my FEHB (BC/BS standard in my case) and Tricare for Life — one that is not comparing apples to oranges? I have been told I don’t really need FEHB because TFL is “very comprehensive,” but how can I find out exactly what, if anything, FEHB would cover that TFL wouldn’t. P.S.…
Q. I am enrolled in Medicare Part A and B. I also have Tricare for Life and Federal Employees Health Benefits (Blue Cross/Blue Shield). My doctor has opted out of Medicare and wants $5,000 for a hip replacement. Will FEHB pay his fee? A. The only way to find out how much of your doctor’s fee your FEHB plan will pay is to ask them.
Q. My husband and I are both military retirees and have had Tricare for over 38 years. When my husband turned 65, he had to sign up for Medicare and take Part B to retain Tricare for Life. He also dropped off of the Federal Employees Health Benefits plan and then retired from his civilian federal government job and I changed to single coverage on FEHB under me (I am still working as a civilian federal employee). I am considering retiring this year and want to know if I need to add him to my FEHB for him to have…
Q. I am a federal employee and have had Federal Employees Health Benefits for myself and my husband for 20+ years. My husband is retired military with Tricare for Life. I plan to retire on FERS and keep our FEHB for myself and my husband. If I choose to not have survivor benefits and I die before my husband, will he be allowed to keep the FEHB coverage since he receives a military retirement pension and has always had Tricare for Life through the military? In other words, can he keep FEHB and have the premiums taken out of his…
Q. I am a FERS employee and plan to retire at age 60 with more than 20 years’ service. I will have been enrolled in FEHB for more than five years and want to know: If I elect to not have a survivor on my annuity, will my spouse, who receives a monthly military retirement from the U.S. Navy and has Tricare for Life, be able to keep the FEHB after my death? A. No. Your spouse has to be both covered under the self and family option of your FEHB plan and receiving a survivor annuity. As a FERS…
Q. I am approaching age 65 and have some questions concerning Tricare for Life, Medicare, and FEHB. For background, I am a retired reservist and current FERS GS employee with Blue Cross Blue Shield FEHB and Tricare Standard for my wife and me. I am currently 63 and my wife is a few months older. She is not eligible for Social Security as she is a school teacher and the state of Louisiana opted out. I plan on working a few years past my 65th birthday but need some guidance on the best course of action when I become Medicare-eligible.…
Q. I am a 59-year-old with 26 years with the federal government. I am a 20/20/20 former spouse also (not remarried). I have not been enrolled in a Federal Employees Health Benefits plan because I am covered under Tricare. I planning on retiring in December 2012 at age 61, with 27 years in federal service. I would like to enroll in an FEHB plan this year during open season. I would like to have the option to use Tricare until I am 65 and then be able to use my FEHB plan rather than use Tricare for Life. When I renew my…
Q. My husband retired at 67 in October 2010 with 15 years of service under Federal Employees Retirement Service. He currently has Tricare for Life through his previous 30-year military retirement. It has become apparent that his policy does not cover as much as mine. I am a current employee planning to retire in 2012. I have a single FEHB. Since we have no dependent children to cover, it would seem that two single policies would be a better cost option for us. Could he sign up for a single policy during the next open season or would I have to add him…