Queston FEHB Going Into Medicare

[yakers]

This site has a number of retired Federal (CSRS) employees who may know of other forums or information sources that can address my SSA/Medicare/FEHB situation; I am now about 65 and time to register for SS (which means only for Medicare, no SS benefits). Up to now I have been ‘double covered’ by FEHB AND DWs state medical benefits, there is no charge to either of us for my coverage under her plan. I contacted my HMO (Kaiser) and they said I have to choose only one source for their Medicare Advantage Plan. If I choose to continue to be covered by my wife’s system how do I decline FEHB coverage? If I decline it now can I restart at some open enrollment period in the future? (Just remotely possible that her former employer may want to decrease dependent benefits someday.) I see references to ‘file & suspend’ but these references usually cite Tricare coverage as the alternative and I do not have such coverage. This could potentially save me $1K a year in premiums if it all works out smoothly. But I see that in registering for Medicare they want me to apply for Part B and Kaiser wants me to pay into Part B yet would I not be covered by DWs coverage paying into Part B as a dependent?

Sent an email to OPM, I do not expect a response.

 

[donheff]

I am on my phone and can't easily look it up but there is a Forum called Fedsoup that has a sub forum on FEHB and Medicare. Some very knowledgeable people there.

 

[powerplay]

You can suspend the FEHB if you have other coverage, but if you cancel it then you can never reenroll in FEHB.

This is a link to the form which includes details about suspending or cancelling FEHB.

https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/ri79-9.pdf

 

[donheff]

You can suspend the FEHB if you have other coverage, but if you cancel it then you can never reenroll in FEHB.

This is a link to the form which includes details about suspending or cancelling FEHB.

https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/ri79-9.pdf

That form appears to indicate that you can cancel to go under a spouses FEHB plan and reenroll later or you can suspend to go under Medicare Advantage, Tricare and a couple of other specific plans and reenroll later but there is no section to suspend to go under a spouse's private plan. If you want Kaiser's Medicare Advantage plan (but not regular Medicare A&B) it sounds like you could suspend and reenroll. It irritates me that the government distorts its regs to support Medicare Advantage but doesn't do the same for simply staying under a spouse's private plan and Medicare Part A. Just another slight tilt toward Advantage (in addition to the subsidies).