Q. I will have been on Federal Employees Health Benefits insurance for more than five years when I retire. However, for now, I am covered by my wife’s plan, which she can’t carry into retirement (she’s a teacher). I’m enrolled as self only in a cheap plan that I don’t intend to carry into retirement. Prior to retirement, will I be able to change to a better plan and add my wife to that plan?
Browsing: self only
Q. If a newly married couple has no children, can they enroll in self-only plans rather than the family plan if only one is a federal retiree? This seems an unfair expense for seniors to pay the high rate of a family plan when it’s only coverage for the two of them.
Q. I’m retired under FERS and my husband is still working for the federal government (also FERS). He has covered his son and me with Blue Cross/Blue Shield under the family plan. His son turned 27 years old this year, and we’re trying to decide whether to drop the family plan and seek insurance as self only. The savings per month is about $60, but I think we’ll end up paying more for taxes. Is there a way to calculate this? Do you have any suggestions?
Q. I am a retired postal employee. My wife is entitled to receive health benefits through her private employer. I would like to switch my coverage from family to self only. I have survivor benefits for my wife. Should I die before she retires and loses private health insurance, is she able to pick up my Federal Employees Health Benefits?
Q. I work part time and carry self-only health insurance, using my husband’s nongovernment health insurance for the family since it’s less expensive. Upon our retirement: 1. Can we drop my husband’s health insurance, switch my self-only insurance to self-and-family insurance? Or would I have to carry family insurance for the five years, not just self-only? 2. Also, I’m carrying the least expensive health insurance. Once I retire, can I switch to a better health insurance, or am I limited in some way because I’ve been paying so little over my active federal government years?
Q. I plan to continue my health insurance coverage (self only) under the Federal Employees Health Benefits program upon retirement. If my spouse is not enrolled in the program and something happens to me, can she enroll in the program after my death?
Q. I am retired under CSRS and have chosen a survivor benefit for my wife. I have self-and-family Blue Cross/Blue Shield under Federal Employees Health Benefits. My wife and I have Medicare parts A and B. The Veterans Affairs Department has classified me 100 percent disabled, so I am also entitled to free medical benefits through the VA system and my wife is covered by CHAMPVA. I feel I’m grossly overinsured. 1. Can I suspend my FEHB coverage because of my VA coverage and have the option of re-enrolling if I lose my 100 percent disability (not very likely, but anything’s possible)? 2. If I…
Q. I am 54 and my husband is 77. He is covered under my Federal Employees Health Benefits Blue Cross family plan. I am thinking of changing my plan to self-only and he to a Medicare supplemental plan. If I do this and retire next year when I’m 55, can I switch back to a family plan that covers both of us when I’m 62?
Q. I am a Postal Service retiree with Federal Employees Health Benefits and will be 65 in February. My wife has good insurance through her employer but will lose that coverage when she retires in about two years. I plan on keeping FEHB to supplement Medicare. Since I will be on Medicare at the time my wife retires, is there any current issue adding her to my FEHB plan?
Q. My husband and I retired from federal service. I was on his insurance. When he died in 2000, the insurance was put in my name. I remarried in 2006 and would like to put my husband on my insurance. Can I do this in the open season. How?