ptsd Spousal Health Care Options

[Pete53]

I believe that they are but usually just generic. My wife prefers brand

[john999]

I think you got bad info from OPM about suspending coverage on your wife but not on yourself. If you change to "Self Only" coverage how can OPM stop you? This does not make sense. They are telling you all or nothing. I would call NARFE and ask about this business. NARFE is advocate group for retired federal employees. I am a member and pay the dues. This just does not jive with what I have read in NARFE. These OPM, SSA, VA people will tell you anything. This is what frightens me about my wife and survivor benefits. They will tell your survivor you are not entitled to DIC or survivor benefit just out of ignorance.

[georgiapapa]

John,

I hope you are right. I will check and let you know what I find out.

Thanks...

[georgiapapa]

John,

I found the following info on OPM.gov under FAQ- Insurance- Tricare, Champva, and Tricare for Life:

Question: "Can an annuitant, survivor, or former spouse suspend his or her family members' s FEHB coverage while remaining covered under the FEHB program?"

Answer: "No. An annuitant, survivor, or former spouse can change to self only coverage, but this cancels all family members' coverage and takes away their future enrollment eligibility."

John, the above info goes along with what I was previously told. This is directly from the OPM website. As a result of this stupid OPM rule, once she turns 65 my wife will have coverage with Champva, Medicare A & B, and Blue Cross federal. We will be paying extra premium cost with Blue Cross for coverage she doesn't really need. Like I said in my previous post, I am afraid to take any action which would outright cancel her FEHB coverage because you never know what may happen in the future with medicare or Champva.

A little good news is the self plus one FEHB option will be avaiable during open season at the end of next year and will be effective January 1, 2016. Hopefully, switching from family coverage to self plus one coverage will lower my premiums.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

[john999]

I understand your fear of losing all future coverage for your spouse under OPM. I will call NARFE and ask them about this rule. I thought that if you suspended family coverage you could get it back during open season. Hey, the self plus one coverage sounds good to me. I can't understand why we who have medicare as primary must pay as much as those who have BC as primary. We are being screwed on behalf of all those employees who have cheap FEHB. You know 40% of my pension goes to pay for BC family plan. This is totally unfair and an injustice. NARFE needs to get onto this problem. Since FERS federal employment begins to suck. If my wife kept insurance from OPM after I croaked most of her survivor benefit would go to pay just insurance. She only would get 50% as it is of my pension and we are all paying for this out of our pensions by the 10% reduction to have survivor benefits.

Accurate facts are better than false good news. Thanks for your responses to this issue which affects many of us. You never know what will happen with FEHB either since it is re-negotiated in congress every few years. ChampVA is probably a better bet than FEHB. The public and congress hate federal employees thinking we were or are all overpaid and useless.

[georgiapapa]

John,

You and I are in agreement. I sent you a response to your PM.