While currently postal retirees are not required to enroll in Medicare when they become eligible at age 65, the majority of retirees do so voluntarily. In fact, 3 out of 4 retirees sign up for Medicare Part B because they determine that having both Medicare and an FEHB plan provides a better value for their out-of-pocket medical costs.
Full Answer
Are postal retirees eligible for Medicare Parts A and B?
About 75% of current Medicare-eligible retirees are enrolled in Parts A and B and according to the American Postal Workers Union, 80% of eligible postal retirees are, too.
Do postal workers have to enroll in Medicare?
Law requires postal retirees to enroll in Medicare. The landmark Postal Service Reform Act ( H.R. 3076) Congress passed this week ends the mandate that the Postal Service pre-fund its retiree health benefit costs and requires postal workers to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B when they turn 65.
Is the NALC health benefit plan a health insurance?
Full bio. Since 1950, the NALC Health Benefit Plan (HBP) has provided letter carriers and their families with first-rate health insurance. The NALC’s health plan is a natural choice—as the only health plan owned and operated by letter carriers, it pays particular attention to their health needs.
Will postal insurance premiums go up or go down?
The version of the postal bill that eventually passed balances the risk pools, and the Office of Personnel Management now estimates premiums should go down for postal and non-postal employees and retirees alike. The new law keeps all postal workers in FEHB, in their own group.
What is OPM in retirement?
What is HRSSC in the postal service?
About this website
Are retired postal workers eligible for Medicare?
Law requires postal retirees to enroll in Medicare. The landmark Postal Service Reform Act (H.R. 3076) Congress passed this week ends the mandate that the Postal Service pre-fund its retiree health benefit costs and requires postal workers to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B when they turn 65.
Does NALC cover Medicare Part B deductible?
If you are covered by Medicare Part B and it is the primary payor, the NALC Health Benefit Plan pays the Medicare Part B deductible and the balance of covered Part B expenses not paid by Medicare.
Do federal employees keep their health insurance after retirement?
Unfortunately, federal employees do not receive free health insurance upon retirement. However, federal employees can keep their current federal employee health benefits (FEHB) plan upon retirement. Employees continue to pay the employee portion of the premium.
Can federal retirees get Medicare Advantage plans?
Three of the FEHB's Medicare Advantage plans are available nationally for all federal retirees with Medicare Parts A and B: Aetna Advantage, APWU High, and MHBP Standard MA plans. Many other MA plans from carriers including: UnitedHealthcare, Kaiser, and Humana are available in various parts of the country.
Is NALC a good health insurance?
As a top-rated FEHB plan, members will find the NALC HBP eager to assist you and ready to provide prompt and safety-minded responses to questions related to your medical care.
What type of insurance is NALC?
Since 1950, the NALC Health Benefit Plan (HBP) has provided letter carriers and their families with first-rate health insurance. The NALC's health plan is a natural choice—as the only health plan owned and operated by letter carriers, it pays particular attention to their health needs.
What insurance do retired postal workers have?
Federal Employees Dental & Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) is available to eligible Federal and Postal employees, retirees, and their eligible family members on an enrollee-pay-all basis.
Can federal employees have both FEHB and Medicare?
The answer: yes! FEHB coverage is comparable to Medicare coverage. Therefore, beneficiaries in the federal program may delay joining a Part D plan; likewise, they're exempt from any Part D late enrollment penalties.
Do most federal retirees enroll in Medicare Part B?
About 70% of federal retirees enroll in Part B, which means paying two premiums and in essence two duplicative insurance programs. A portion of the retirees that join Part B might do so as a hedge against the elimination of FEHB retiree benefits.
What happens to my FEHB when I turn 65?
Your FEHB coverage will continue whether or not you enroll in Medicare. If you can get premium-free Part A coverage, we advise you to enroll in it. Most Federal employees and annuitants are entitled to Medicare Part A at age 65 without cost.
Can Medicare premiums be deducted from federal pension?
Frequently Asked Questions Retirement If you are not receiving social security benefits, you can have Medicare premiums withheld from your annuity payments. We must receive a request for the withholding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Do you really need Medicare and FEHB as a federal employee?
Yes, the vast majority of the time you are required to get on Medicare A and B at 65 if you are on Tricare even if you are also covered under FEHB or still working.
How to contact NALC?
The NALC Retirement Department can be reached by calling 800-424-5186 (toll free) Monday, Wednesday or Thursday, 10 a.m. to Noon or 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern time), or by calling the NALC Headquarters switchboard at 202-393-4695 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Eastern time) and asking for the Retirement Department .
What is OPM in insurance?
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) acts as the personnel office for retired letter carriers, and is the agency responsible for administering retirement, health and life insurance benefits. Before you call or write to OPM, be sure to have your Civil Service Annuity (CSA) number ready.
When will the 4th COLA be payable?
The fourth COLA will be based on the increase in the CPI-W between the base index month and July 2021, less any previously calculated COLAs, and will be payable the second full pay period following the release of the July 2021 index.
Where is the NALC health plan located?
Though the director of the NALC Health Benefit Plan is a national officer of NALC elected by the same procedures and to the same terms as other officers, the health benefit plan is a separate entity with its own headquarters, located in Ashburn, VA , and a separate HBP website.
Is NALC HBP a non profit?
And because NALC HBP is a not-for-profit organization , its only focus is the health of its members. Though the director of the NALC Health Benefit Plan is a national officer ...
What is the retirement age for USPS?
The standard age for retirement at the USPS is 65, and there are retirement plans placed under both Federal Employment Retirement System (FERS) and Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) depending on whether service life began before or after 1984. Let’s take a look at both these systems to give you a clearer picture.
How old do you have to be to get a USPS visa?
You must be older than 50 with minimum 20 years of US government employment, or can be of any age if you have 25 years worth of government service under your name.
Can you reverse an annuity to FERS?
Point to remember here is that a postal worker who was hired under the CSRS can get their retirement plans transferred to the FERS; however, the reverse is not permitted.
Do postal workers get Social Security?
However, they do not pay any social security retirements as under the CSRS; they do not qualify for social security benefits.
Does FERS pay less than CSRS?
While FERS inherently pays less than CSRS , you will be eligible for Thrift Saving plans (TSP) and Social Security plans. FERS Uses the high-3 average, which means that they will be paying 1-1.1% of the average of your highest paychecks over a three year period.
What is OPM in retirement?
OPM is the agency that has authority to decide entitlement to CSRS and FERS annuities. When contacting OPM, be prepared to provide your name and either CSA or Social Security number. Click here for OPM contact information on the Retirement Department main page.
What is HRSSC in the postal service?
While employees who are planning or applying for retirement are required to process through the Postal Service’s Human Resources Shared Service Center (HRSSC), once retired, that changes. After the effective date of retirement, questions, issues and concerns related to retirement matters should be directed to the Office of Personnel Management ...
Retirement Resources
General Contact Information
- The NALC Retirement Department can be reached by calling 800-424-5186 (toll free)Monday, Wednesday or Thursday, 10 a.m. to Noon or 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern time), or by calling the NALC Headquarters switchboard at 202-393-4695 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Eastern time) and asking for the Retirement Department. The USPS HR Shared Ser...
More Information
- Click here to downloadDirector Toth’s workshop PowerPoint presentation, “CSRS and FERS: A Guide for Employees Approaching Retirement.”
- Annual leave carryoverContract Talk
- MOU Re: Annual Leave Carryover for Leave Year 2023
Additional Information