Medicare and FEHB

[nasa1974]

I was CSRS and retired 2 months from 65 with a wife 5 1/2 years younger than me. I retained BCBS [Basic] so far it covers evrything that Medicare doesn't cover. Part "B" only pays 80% and BCBS gets the rest including doctors visits coinsurance etc. There is a payment of $150 for emergency room and $125 for Hospital if admitted, $7,000 catastrophic, no other deductable. The Wife is covered 100% by BCBS including Prescriptions. I get the Prescription thing from BCBS all for $321 a month + $104 for Medicare part "B".

So you kept BCBS and picked up Medicare Part "B" as well as Part "A".

 

[nnuut]

YES, Medicare part "A" was free and if I would have not brought FEHB into retirement I would lose it for ever. I surely didn't want Obamacare.

 

[jimijr]

Norm, you make a good point. For a long time you have been a heavy user of our health benefits. Were I able to say the same, I would certainly buy Part B. With BCBS Basic we pay hefty co-pays but get a break on premiums by staying in network. If you visit the doctor three times a month you will probably recover the $104 premium for Part B in co-pays you don't have to pay, if you get me. Medicare becomes your primary provider, BCBS picks up the co-pays.

Stuff happens but as it stands we've paid just a few co-pays last year and this. I can still change my mind later and come out ahead, as I mentioned.

Thanks for the replies. OTW retirement is going swell except for the recent swoon in the market, haven't seen drops in the indexes like that since around 2008. Since 2011 I've taken $100k from the account and it stands right where it was when I left service.