Search results for what federal annuitants need to know about the fehb program and medicare advantage

177 articles found

• Big Changes in How Federal Annuitants Receive Prescription Drug Benefits in 2024 and Beyond

  Major Medicare Part D reforms were enacted in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). Some of the legislation’s provisions seek to lower prescription drug costs for both Medicare beneficiaries and

• Should Federal Annuitants Stay Enrolled in the FEHB program after Age 65?

  You could drop FEHB coverage once you enroll in Parts A and B. But this would be a bad decision. Medicare Part B requires you to pay 20 percent of the cost of doctors’ fees, and deductibles, with no

• How the FEHB Program Works

  The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) is an unconventional government program. Instead of giving you one "take it or leave it" choice, the government authorizes plans to compete for

• What Federal Annuitants Need to Know about Medicare Part D for 2024

  Federal annuitants will have higher healthcare costs in 2024. The enrollee share for FEHB premiums is rising 7.7%, and the standard Medicare Part B premium is increasing 5.9%, or $9.80, to

• FEHB & Medicare Part D

  The Medicare Part D prescription drug program benefits millions of Americans. It fills a major hole in Medicare that lasted 50 years. But, historically, it would rarely benefit federal retirees who

• Should I suspend FEHB coverage and just have Medicare Advantage?

  If you join a commercial MA plan, not FEHB Medicare Advantage plans, you can temporarily suspend your FEHB enrollment and stop paying two sets of premiums. Under the suspend option, you pay the Part

• What Federal Employees Need to Know About FEHB Premium Conversion

  Federal employees shelter their share of the FEHB plan premium from income taxes through what is called "Premium Conversion." Employees have the right to opt out of this program. This increases very

• What Part-Time Employees Need to Know About the FEHB Program

  Many career Federal employees work part-time schedules. In these cases, most government agencies do not pay the regular share of the premium. Instead, employees receive a pro rata amount based on

• How Retired Couples Can Save Money by Choosing Self-Only FEHB Enrollment

  For a husband and wife who are both Federal annuitants and who have no dependent children, it is possible to save on premium costs by enrolling separately as self only rather than together as self

• IRMAA - Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amounts

  What is IRMAA? IRMAA stands for Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amounts. High-income households pay an extra charge—IRMAA—on top of the standard Medicare premium. IRMAA can apply to either Medicare

• What You Need to Know About the FEHB Program and Health Savings Accounts (HSA)

  Both Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) provide significant tax advantages, beyond those available through Premium Conversion and FSAs. The simpler case

• What You Need to Know About Vision Care in the FEHB Program

  All FEHB plans pay for medically necessary care of your eyes, such as cataract surgery. Many pay for annual refractive examinations to determine your prescription for eyeglasses or contact lens, and

• What You Need to Know About Dental Care in the FEHB Program

  Plans' dental benefits differ widely in details, and many of the brochures use technical terminology such as "gingival" (gum, in English), "alveolar" (the part of the jawbone that holds teeth in

• 2024 FEHB Program Changes

  The average 2024 premium will increase 7.7% for enrollees. This is considerably higher than historical experience in the FEHB, but is similar to most private employer cost increases and largely

• FEHB & Medicare Advantage

  Federal retirees have Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to consider joining. Our analysis shows that some of these offerings are an outstanding value. Aetna, APWU, Compass Rose, Kaiser, GEHA, MHBP, Rural

• Reasons Why You Shouldn't Enroll in Medicare Part B

  Here are a few scenarios why retirees should consider not taking Part B. High Income Couples and Individuals that pay IRMAA—If you fall into one of the high-income categories (more than $103,000

• Reasons Why You Should Enroll in Medicare Part B

  The most common question we receive every Open Season from retirees and soon-to-be retirees is whether to take Part B and pay the extra premium. Given that there is a penalty if you delay Part B

• Medicare and Provider Selection

  We rate plan costs based on the assumption that you will always or almost always want to use preferred providers, also known as staying in network. However, network problems largely disappear if you

• FEHB Tax Savings for Federal Employees

  There are major tax advantages for health insurance. The employer share of health insurance—paid by agencies for employees and by OPM for retirees—is part of employee compensation but by law is

• Are Consumer Driven Health Plans the Right FEHB Plan Type for You?

  Consumer Driven Health Plans (CDHPs) have been around for a while, but we still get a lot of questions about them. Here’s why they’re one of the lowest-cost plans in FEHB. How CDHPs work CDHPs have

• Weight Loss Drug Coverage from FEHB Plans and Medicare

  Weight-loss drug popularity has skyrocketed. Between 2020 to 2022, the number of prescriptions has risen to around 9 million in the U.S. With celebrity attention, positive clinical trials, and even

• Can you Save Money by Enrolling in FEHB Self Plus One?

  Married couples with no children to cover, and single parents with one child to cover, can enroll as self plus one rather than as a family and, depending on the plan, usually save two or three

• Should I Use Preferred Providers With My FEHB Plan?

  We rate plan costs based on the assumption that you will always or almost always want to use preferred providers, also known as staying in network. Your cost is always lower, usually far lower, when

• How to Get FEHB Plan Information

  The OPM website has plan brochures and a great deal of other useful information. There are three additional ways to get brochures: Attend health fairs Call the plan Visit the plan website You change

• Kaiser Medicare Advantage

  If you enroll in this Kaiser FEHB plan, have Medicare Parts A & B, and enroll in Kaiser's special Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive better benefits but no Medicare Part B reimbursement. Check

• Medicare Advantage Plan

  Medicare-eligible enrollees can leave FEHB for a Medicare Advantage plan and then come back to an FEHB plan the next open season. Some companies offer FEHB and Medicare Advantage plans. With these

• GEHA Medicare Advantage

  If you enroll in this GEHA FEHB plan, have Medicare Parts A & B, and in enroll in GEHA's special Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive both better benefits and a Medicare Part B premium

• United Medicare Advantage

  If you enroll in this FEHB plan, Medicare Parts A and B, and the UnitedHealthCare Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive Medicare Part B premium reimbursements and many eligible medical benefits

• Aetna Medicare Advantage

  If you enroll in this FEHB plan, Medicare Parts A & B, and Aetna Medicare Advantage, you will receive Medicare Part B premium reimbursements and many eligible medical benefits at little to no

• CDPHP Medicare Advantage

  If you enroll in this FEHB plan, Medicare Parts A and B, and the CDPHP Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive Medicare Part B premium reimbursements and lower out-of-pocket costs for medical

• Samba Medicare Advantage

  If you enroll in this FEHB plan, Medicare Parts A and B, and the Samba Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive Medicare Part B premium reimbursements and many eligible medical benefits at little to

• MHBP Medicare Advantage

  If you enroll in this MHBP FEHB plan, have Medicare Parts A & B, and in enroll in MHBP's special Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive both better benefits and a Medicare Part B premium

• NALC Medicare Advantage

  If you enroll in this FEHB plan, Medicare Parts A and B, and the NALC Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive Medicare Part B premium reimbursements and many eligible medical benefits at little to

• How to Coordinate a FEHB Plan with Other Insurance

  You cannot use our cost rankings directly if you have health insurance coverage from another source. The best FEHB plan for you depends on the cost and benefit structure of the other plan, though

• TRICARE

  Would it be advantageous for me to enroll in TRICARE (I am retired military) rather than remaining with my FEHB plan? In general, TRICARE is a better choice than any FEHB plan, because its benefits

• Kaiser Medicare Advantage 2

  If you enroll in this Kaiser FEHB plan, have Medicare Parts A & B, and in enroll in Kaiser's special Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive both better benefits and a Medicare Part B premium

• Foreign Service Medicare Advantage

  If you enroll in this FEHB plan, Medicare Parts A and B, and the Foreign Service Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive Medicare Part B premium reimbursements and many eligible medical benefits at

• Health Alliance Medicare Advantage

  If you enroll in this FEHB plan, Medicare Parts A and B, and the Health Alliance Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive Medicare Part B premium reimbursements and lower out-of-pocket costs for

• Compass Rose Medicare Advantage

  If you enroll in this Compass Rose FEHB plan, have Medicare Parts A & B, and in enroll in Compass Rose's special Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive both better benefits and a Medicare Part B

• Rural Carrier Medicare Advantage

  If you enroll in this Rural Carrier FEHB plan, have Medicare Parts A & B, and in enroll in Rural Carrier's special Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive both better benefits and a Medicare Part B

• What's New in FEHB for 2024

  Every year it’s important to review what’s new in FEHB. As in previous years, there are significant premium, benefit, and plan availability changes that will affect both active and retired federal

• Medicare

  I'm a retired Federal employee with FEHB health insurance. My insurer is telling me I have to use Medicare part A. I don't want to use it because that's taxpayers money. I paid for insurance coverage

• Yearly Cost Estimate - Medicare Part A only

  Your yearly estimated costs include your FEHB premium and what you have to pay for your share of hospital, doctor, prescription, and other costs. We calculate typical costs for someone like you for

• How can Checkbook's Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees help me?

  Checkbook's Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees gives you vital shopping information that you cannot get from any other source. It tells you how much money you can save by changing—or by

• Advice for Persons Who Pay Full FEHB Premiums

  The FEHB program also provides coverage for former spouses, former employees, children turning age 26, and others. In each of these cases, the covered enrollee must pay the full premium without

• Should I Purchase a FEDVIP Dental or Vision Plan?

  The Federal government offers standalone "FEDVIP" dental and vision plans, separate and distinct from the FEHB program. The FEDVIP program shares the same Open Season dates as the FEHB program, but

• Deductibles, Copayments, and Coinsurance in the FEHB Program

  You can use cost sharing details to assist you in choosing a plan by pinpointing strengths and weaknesses for items of particular importance. If you are especially concerned about a broad area of

• Medicare Basics - The Four Parts of Medicare - A, B, C, D

  Medicare Part A—Hospital Insurance—When you become eligible to join Medicare, you'll be enrolled in Part A. Most people don't pay an extra premium as you've been paying for Part A through paycheck

• 13 FEHB Open Season Tips

  Getting "Free" Health Insurance—Some Consumer-Driven and High Deductible FEHB plans provide you a savings account larger than your actual premium cost after taxes. You can end the year with more

• Are High Deductible Health Plans the Right FEHB Plan Type for You?

  For most federal employees, High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) will be the cheapest FEHB plan type. Here’s how they work. HDHP Overview HDHPs have much higher deductibles than traditional HMO and