How Does Federal Employee Health Benefits and Medicare Work Together

Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) and Original Medicare work together with Original Medicare. If you are a federal employee enrolled in Federal Employee Health Benefits, then when you turn 65 years old, your coverage will change from the FEHB to Original Medicare. This blog post discusses how this works and what happens next.

If you have FEHB, you’re probably in the process of retiring and want to know what that means for how Medicare will work with FEHB. You might have a lot of questions about this. This article should answer some questions about both federal employees’ health benefits and Medicare.

• Is it necessary to join Medicare if I have FEHB?
• Is Part B optional for people with FEHB?
• What happens if you put off enrolling in Medicare?

The First Questions Is To Determine What Is Medicare and What Does It Cover

In Brief, Medicare is a federal insurance program for people who are 65 and older. Federal employees need to know about two parts of
• Medicare, not all of them.
• Hospital Medicare Part A
• Doctors Medicare Part B

Your hospital insurance is often referred to as Medicare Part A. It covers issues such as:
• Inpatient hospital stays
• Skilled nursing facility care
• Hospice care
• Home Health Care

Medicare Part A for a majority of people who have paid into the Social Security system through taxes for over 40 quarters which is about 10 years do not have a monthly charge. If you need hospital care, you will have to pay a deductible.

Medicare Part B is the medical insurance component of Medicare. It covers a variety of services, including: Inpatient care
• Doctor visits
• Home health services
• Durable medical equipment
• Mental health service

Medicare Part B does require a monthly premium. What is the cost of Medicare part B? Medicare Part B costs between $150 and $200 per month depending on your income. It’s crucial to contact Social Security about the cost of your monthly Part B premium because it varies based on your earnings.

Are Federal Employees That Receive Federal Employee Health Benefits Required To Enroll In Medicare Part B

Medicare is when you are enrolled in Federal health insurance at age 65. It is good to know that if you enroll in Part B the first time, there is a time frame. People usually do it when they turn 65 years old, which is also called their birthday.

The Initial Enrollment Period is from 3 months before your 65th birthday to 3 months after your 65th birthday. If you don’t sign up for Medicare Part B during this time, you may have to pay a penalty later. Please note that if you have Tricare insurance coverage, you will need to enroll in Medicare Part B when it is available.

If you receive Federal Health Employee Benefits, be sure to consider your alternatives when it comes to joining Medicare Part B. It’s probably not a terrible idea for most FHEB members to join Medicare Part B as soon as they’re eligible because it does provide some important coverage throughout their lives and avoids late enrollment penalties later.

Can Federal Employee Health Benefits Members Get Reimbursed For Their Medicare Part B Premiums

The second thing to understand about FEHB insurance and Medicare is that some insurance companies will reimburse at least a part of your premium if you’re enrolled in Medicare Part B. Again, Medicare Part B is not necessary, but it’s definitely a good idea if you’re thinking about FEHB and Medicare. Their reimbursement rates can be hundreds of dollars each year for some firms. It may not cover all your Medicare Part B premiums, but it could go a long way.

As you can see understanding the different parts of Medicare for Federal Employee Health Benefits can be a daunting task that is why it is important to speak to a Senior Benefits Specialist.