Quote:
Originally Posted by bsloan1960
Be VERY careful about giving up your BC/BS. Once you give it up you can't elect to get it back- at least that's how my Fed. VA works.
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I was in the same boat since I retired in 2012. It was drilled into be since EOD 7/9/78 do not ever give up FHEB.
It seems a lot of people here knew--you can SUSPEND (NOT cancel) your FHEB with an OPM RI 79-9. I only learned I could suspend my FHEB last fall. I suspended my benefits 1/1/2025.
It was a lot cheaper for us to suspend BCBS Standard go with a Medicare Advantage Plan. BCBS and Medicare (IRMAA) was costing us over $1,100 per month. AND--we still paid over $1,100 per year for Caremark.
The hardest part was getting me to finally accept that I could suspend my FHEB so long as I am enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan. I spoke to persons at OPM and copied the websites. The final letter told me how (and when) I could get back into FHEB.
https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/ri79-9.pdf