Community Chat

[151949]

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@nomless wrote:

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@Witchy Woman wrote:

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@nomless wrote:

Witchy Woman, I don't understand why you have two insurance plans, your Federal plan and Medicare Part B.  While you're investigating prescription coverage, perhaps you should also check to be sure that you need both insurance plans. Don't try to figure it out yourself.  Contact a certified advisor who can sort out the needs of both you and your husband.

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My Federal health benefits plan acts as my supplemental plan in lieu of having private insurance.  This is a plan I had as a Federal employee and took into retirement.  Medicare Part B does not cover everything.

In addition, my husband is covered under my Federal health plan and is not yet eligible for Medicare.

Yes, I need to speak to someone who knows more than I do, that is obvious.

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If your Federal plan is a supplemental plan that picks up what Part B doesn't pay, then you probably should look into whether you need Medicare Part A, the hospitalization plan.  Good luck to you.

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I believe if you are > 65 you HAVE TO  go on Medicare part A. Many retirewd people who have insurance thru their retirements from their employers use that instead of a supplement. Pretty common.

[Witchy Woman]

Yes, I have both Part A & B and pay for it quarterly directly to Medicare as I do not receive SS benefits.

I also pay for my Federal health plan monthy through a deduction from my retirement benefits.  Thankfully, the Federal government still pays a portion of those costs.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing to complain about regarding my Federal benefits.  I am grateful and thankful for what I have! 

[151949]

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@Witchy Woman wrote:

Yes, I have both Part A & B and pay for it quarterly directly to Medicare as I do not receive SS benefits.

I also pay for my Federal health plan monthy through a deduction from my retirement benefits.  Thankfully, the Federal government still pays a portion of those costs.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing to complain about regarding my Federal benefits.  I am grateful and thankful for what I have! 

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I always have a twinge of jealousy when someone says they got retirement benefits like health ins from their employer. Most of us did not get anything.My dad was a fed gov't employee his entire life from WW11 til he retired, and he got good retirement benefits and ins. The only bad thing was he  always worked second jobs and those paid into SS , but when it came time to collect his SS he only got half because he was also retired from a gov't job. Be grateful for those benefits - you earned them. I worked for non profits all my life - nothing from them but a handshake.
 

[m2p]

WW, one more thing. FEBHP started a Self plus one option this year. Our payment went down by switching from the family plan. A lot of people were not aware of the change and they extended the enrollment period for an additional month. I do believe it's too late now but look in to it for next year. 

If you you worked enough quarters before going to work for the Feds you can still get some SS. It's reduced by the windfall elimination protection, WEP. 

[one RN many shoes]

my understanding is that since government (city, state, federal) employees retire with health coverage, they cannot buy into additional, or change, insurance plans. Doing so voids their 

retiree coverage. BUT CALL YOUR INSURANCE PLAN AND MEDICARE BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING. Good luck, and enjoy retirement. 

[Witchy Woman]

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@m2p wrote:

WW, one more thing. FEBHP started a Self plus one option this year. Our payment went down by switching from the family plan. A lot of people were not aware of the change and they extended the enrollment period for an additional month. I do believe it's too late now but look in to it for next year. 

If you you worked enough quarters before going to work for the Feds you can still get some SS. It's reduced by the windfall elimination protection, WEP. 

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Yes, I was aware of this and made the change.  Have been paying for "family" all this time, so I was happy they finally made the change.

I worked for Office of Personnel Management for 26+ years and knew enough about benefits to keep up with the changes.

It was a good thing.

Didn't work enough SS to qualify, but the windfall elimination pretty much knocks it out for most.

I'm in the old program, CSRS.

[Witchy Woman]

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@one RN many shoes wrote:

my understanding is that since government (city, state, federal) employees retire with health coverage, they cannot buy into additional, or change, insurance plans. Doing so voids their 

retiree coverage. BUT CALL YOUR INSURANCE PLAN AND MEDICARE BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING. Good luck, and enjoy retirement. 

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Yes, believe me, I'm not giving up on my Federal health insurance any time soon.  First, because we have a variety of great plans.  Second, my husband is not eligible for Medicare yet, and I provide health coverage through my plan.

[Isobel Archer]

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@Witchy Woman wrote:

Yes, I have both Part A & B and pay for it quarterly directly to Medicare as I do not receive SS benefits.

I also pay for my Federal health plan monthy through a deduction from my retirement benefits.  Thankfully, the Federal government still pays a portion of those costs.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing to complain about regarding my Federal benefits.  I am grateful and thankful for what I have! 

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You can have your Medicare payment deducted from your federal annuity.  That's what I did.  You have to go through CMS as OPM wants the request to come from them.

Also, someone mentioned the new self plus one.  For any Feds - check the prices.  I have Kaiser and it turned out self plus one was MORE expensive than self and family.  I verified this with OPM who advised that this was true for some plans - depending on their formula.  So be aware.

While I'm on the Medicare subject, I assume you are aware that you are paying more than those on SS for the same benefit.  The law "holds harmless" those on SS who do not get a cost of living increase - meaning their Medicare cannot be increased in those years.  To offset this, everyone not on SS pays more - even tho Fed retirees didn't get a cost of living increase either. 

[Witchy Woman]

I will check about paying through my annuity. It's not a problem paying quarterly, but it would be convenient to have it taken out monthly.  Didn't know that.  THANKS!

Yes, I did check to see if my self and one was lower than family.  Right now, it is.

Yes, I did know that I'm paying a bit more than those on SS, and that Fed retirees didn't get a COLA this year.  I still feel I'm ahead of most, so will not complain.

[Isobel Archer]

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@nomless wrote:

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@Witchy Woman wrote:

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@nomless wrote:

Witchy Woman, I don't understand why you have two insurance plans, your Federal plan and Medicare Part B.  While you're investigating prescription coverage, perhaps you should also check to be sure that you need both insurance plans. Don't try to figure it out yourself.  Contact a certified advisor who can sort out the needs of both you and your husband.

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My Federal health benefits plan acts as my supplemental plan in lieu of having private insurance.  This is a plan I had as a Federal employee and took into retirement.  Medicare Part B does not cover everything.

In addition, my husband is covered under my Federal health plan and is not yet eligible for Medicare.

Yes, I need to speak to someone who knows more than I do, that is obvious.

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If your Federal plan is a supplemental plan that picks up what Part B doesn't pay, then you probably should look into whether you need Medicare Part A, the hospitalization plan.  Good luck to you.

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To be covered by Medicare, you have to enroll in Part A. 

You may be thinking of not enrolling in Part B - which some Feds do since they have a good Health Plan that provides the same benefits to retirees as it does to employees and so they think they do as well without Part B. 

The problem with that is - if you don't enroll in Part B when first eligible, there are stiff penalties to enroll later.  With all the uncertainty currently, I was not confident that FEHB would continue indefinitely so I hedged my bets and kept both.  Additionally, the plan I have provides better benefits as a supplemental to Medicare than it did when I was a retiree not yet eligible for Medicare.