Q. My husband left federal employment at age 55 after seven years. He was covered under FERS. He is almost 63 and has applied for a deferred annuity. He is thinking of returning to federal employment. If he does so and receives health benefits, when he retires, can he carry those benefits into retirement? Must he be re-employed for a certain length of time to do this? A. He must be enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program for a total of five years to carry that coverage into retirement. If he was enrolled in the program on the…
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Q. I retired from the Army after 18 months of military service at age 22 because of combat wounds. I retired from a nonprofit and went to work for the government at age 56. I am now 62 and have eight years of federal service (executive agency), including depositing the 18-month military buyback. At what age and number of federal service years am I eligible to retire and receive medical benefits as a retiree? A. You could retire now if you wanted to. Any federal employee with five years of service can do that. As for medical benefits, there aren’t…
Q. I am 64 years old and have nine years in CSRS. Four years were 1972 to 1976. At that time, I took my retirement out, then another seven months in 1985-86. I was reinstated in the federal government in February 2008, working for the IRS under seasonal but worked full time. I transferred in September with no break in service, accepting a position for the Defense Department. My service computation date gives me Feb. 4, 2004, under FERS. I signed up for Federal Employees Health Benefits at that point. I want to retire, but I need to take my…
Q. My husband worked for a Veterans Affairs Medical Center for seven years, then left federal employment. He is 63 and eligible for a deferred annuity. He may be returning to his previous job. Is there a certain amount of time he must be re-employed so as to be able to retire and carry his health benefits into retirement? A. If he was enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program on the day he left, re-enrolls on the day he is re-employed by the federal government, and has been enrolled for five years, he would be able to carry…
Q. I am a CSRS employee and plan to retire March 29. 1. Will I be on the annuity roll for my first check on April 1 or May 1? 2. Will I incur a reduction in my annuity because of the retirement date? 3. I will turn 65 in April, so I will be eligible for Medicare. I have had Federal Employees Health Benefits for four years, and I am Tricare-eligible. I am aware that my time with Tricare will count toward my five years and that I can suspend my FEHB and go with Medicare/Tricare for Life. What…
Q. I will be 66 years old in April. I have been with the Postal Service (FERS) for 16 years. I am eligible for retirement, but I am concerned about health insurance. I was always covered under my spouse’s insurance, since she started in the workforce before I did. I took on my own health insurance in January 2011 since she retired on disability due to medical complications. When I took on health insurance, I also covered for her health insurance. I know it has not been five years yet. What do I need to do to be eligible to…
Q. I am a 63-year-old Air Force civilian employee and have been employed since Sept. 2, 2008. With no break in service, I was employed by the Internal Revenue Service as a seasonal employee for approximately eight months since Feb. 20, 2008. Being a seasonal employee, I was not able to have Federal Employees Health Benefits. But I took out the coverage once I transferred over to full time with the Air Force. If I retire in February, would I be able to take my health benefits with me, or would I have to wait until September? A. The rule…
Q. I am 64 years old and will have five years of federal service in February. But for the first seven months (until September 2008), I was a seasonal employee for the Internal Revenue Service, until I became reinstated and was permanent full time. I could then sign up for my Federal Employees Health Benefit plan under FERS. One catch: I don’t have the five straight years of coverage under FEHB (I’m still nine months short). Can I retire in February and carry my health benefits into retirement, even though I don’t have five years of coverage? Or do I…
Q. I know one has to have Federal Employees Health Benefits for five years before one quits or retires to get this benefit. Does it have to be family coverage for five years, or can I change my self-only coverage to family in the last year before retirement? Can I change it after retirement? A. You can change from self-only to self and family and from self and family to self-only during any open season. The only requirement to carry your FEHB coverage into retirement is that you be covered continuously for the five years before you retire. Note: I…
Q. I know one has to have Federal Employees Health Benefits for five years before one quits or retires to get this benefit. Does it have to be family coverage for five years, or can I change my self-only coverage to family in the last year before retirement? Can I change it after retirement? A. You can change from self-only to self and family and from self and family to self-only during any open season. The only requirement to carry your FEHB coverage into retirement is that you be covered continuously for the five years before you retire. Note: I…