FEHB & Medicare Explained
FEHB & Medicare Explained The decision to enroll in Medicare Part B, while maintaining your Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) in retirement, is one of the most difficult choices a new retiree faces. About 70% of federal retirees select to enroll Medicare B, but that percentage has been declining. Let’s take a high level look at how FEHB and Medicare interact so you can decide if enrolling in Medicare Part B is the right decision for your situation. What is Medicare? Medicare is federal health insurance. Original Medicare consisted of Part A and Part B. It was created in 1965 to cover people age 65 and older, regardless of income or medical history. In 1972, eligibility was expanded to include people under 65 receiving social security disability benefits for 24 months and those with end stage renal disease, which is also called kidney disease. Medicare Part C was added in 1997 and Part D w...