Browsing: FEHB

Q. I know that the long-term care insurance premiums that are made available to federal employees could rise, as they did a few years ago. I thought, however, that the rates would always be the same for all federal employees who obtain that insurance. One of your columns seems to suggest that the insurance company can raise my individual rates as I get older. Is that true if I am a federal employee? Maybe you mean that once I am retired, the company can raise my individual rates, even though the company cannot raise my rates individually as long as I am…

Q. I am about to turn 65 and I have FEHB. Is there any reason to sign up for Medicare part B. The literature on this is confusing and never really answers the question yes or no. Does paying the extra cost of part B make sense? What is the advantage? A. There is not one-size-fits-all way to make this decision. You should only apply for and pay for Medicare Part B, in addition to comprehensive major medical coverage, if you are confident that you will recover at least as much in additional benefits than you will pay in premiums…

Q. I have been employed in the federal government for approximately 23 years. I have been covered by FEHB the whole time. I may retire in the next two or three years, based on LEO retirement. My spouse worked for the federal government for 17 years under FERS, but resigned when we had children. She has been continuously covered by my FEHB plan. She intends to collect her pension when she turns 62. When I retire, will I need to elect the survivor benefit on my pension to ensure that she has FEHB coverage should something happen to me or can she get…

Q. When my husband, a federal employee who carried the FEHB, died, I continued his FEHB for myself, paying monthly premiums. I signed up for Medicare Part A about six months ago. I am also a federal employee, plan to retire this year and will continue paying my husband’s FEHB premiums so I will have coverage in addition to my Medicare Part A. My question is: Do I need to purchase Medicare Part B now or when I retire, or not at all?

Q. My wife is a carrier in the U.S. Postal Service. We’ve been married more than 30 years, and she’s been enrolled in medical for more than five years. I’d like to go on her medical when I retire. I’ve been told that in order to do that and retain medical and if she were to pass away before me, she would need to select survivor benefits on her retirement. We’d actually prefer not to do that, as I wouldn’t need the survivor annuity benefits. Does she have to have survivor benefits for me to use the medical benefit? Does…

Q. I recently retired from federal service without adequate information on purchasing Medicare Part B. On the surface I was wondering if it made any sense to expand my health insurance beyond what I was getting as a full-time employee. I was unable to find a source where someone actually did an economic analysis of the issue. From my standpoint, it is an economic decision: I can afford to pay either way. I have Kaiser health insurance in northern California, and it seems to save $5 when I see a doctor if I pay for Part B; $10 for a prescription. This…

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