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Environmental Protection Agency
EPA was established in 1970 to consolidate in one agency a variety of federal research, monitoring, standard-setting and enforcement activities to ensure environmental protection. Since its inception, EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people.
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Rank: Newbie
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Joined: 2/23/2016(UTC) Posts: 4  Location: Virginia Thanks: 1 times
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I have enrolled in FEHB when I joined EPA in August 2011. My wife enrolled in FEHB on January 2013 (self plus family, currently self plus one). She is retired now. We both are above 66 years of age.
I understand that I will be eligible for FEHB when I retire after completing five years’ service. Will my wife be eligible to continue her FEHB as annuitant’s spouse after I retire?
Many thanks for your guidance.
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Originally Posted by: RGN  I have enrolled in FEHB when I joined EPA in August 2011. My wife enrolled in FEHB on January 2013 (self plus family, currently self plus one). She is retired now. We both are above 66 years of age.
I understand that I will be eligible for FEHB when I retire after completing five years’ service. Will my wife be eligible to continue her FEHB as annuitant’s spouse after I retire?
Many thanks for your guidance.
you might get more replies down in the retirement section. but i'm a little unclear. was your wife a federal employee (and had single coverage from FEHB) or did you add her on your policy in january 2013?
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Joined: 2/23/2016(UTC) Posts: 4 Location: Virginia Thanks: 1 times
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Thank you very much for the quick response. I am sorry my question was not clear.
My wife was not a federal employee. I have added her to my policy in January 2013.
Best regards, RGN
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I suggest you post this in the Federal Employees Benefits forum: https://forum.federalsou...lt.aspx?g=topics&f=6
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Originally Posted by: RGN
Thank you very much for the quick response. I am sorry my question was not clear.
My wife was not a federal employee. I have added her to my policy in January 2013.
Best regards, RGN
yes, you can continue to have your wife covered under your policy BUT i believe you are required to have a survivor annuity for her and you must meet all the requirements for continuation of coverage. others may have more to add
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Well from what I know, from my agency, and believe most agencies might be the same, If you added her to your policy in 2013, the rule is 5 years. YOU must have the health insurance coverage, for 5 consecutive years upon retiring, to even be able to continue health coverage. Anyone, any thing different?
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His spouse does not need to be on his FEHB plan as a dependent for five years before his own retirement. Since the original poster was hired in 2011, I suspect that he wants to retire at some point in 2016 after satisfying the five year requirement. The dependent spouse can retain her coverage as his dependent while he is alive.
However, if the original poster were to predecease the spouse, the spouse would only be able to retain the coverage, after death on a self only basis, if she was receiving an OPM survivor annuity. If the amount of the monthly OPM survivor annuity is not enough to cover the actual monthly premium (and with only five years of service, it might not be, depending upon the plan and whether he elects the 25% or 50% as the survivor option in FERS), she can make arrangements with OPM to pay any shortfall. But, she HAS to receive a survivor annuity if she wants the coverage to continue for her as his survivor. |
Kivi |
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RGN- I am assuming your are FERS and not CSRS, so what I have to say will not apply to you. However, there is an important distinction that CSRS retirees facing this decision should be aware of. Unlike FERS, the CSRS survivor annuity does not have a specified minimum. So, if one wants to not impact your own annuity, you can, with your spouse's consent, specify a survivor annuity of as little as $1 a month. This means that you have a $0.03 reduction in your monthly annuity, while still assuring that your spouse can continue eligibility for FEHB coverage. Obviously, the surviving spouse would have to pay the FEHB premium from some other source, but, if that is not an issue, the $1 survivor annuity is a way to not take a bigger hit in your own annuity while you are alive. This was true when I retired 10+ years ago, and I believe it is still true: http://www.fedsmith.com/...t-survivor-benefit-your/
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