Best Federal Retirement Health Plans

[Glorantha]

Fairly new to the state and area. My wife and I are not satisfied with the options with our current plan. Our current plan does not have any in-network providers excepting new patients in immediate area.

Does anyone have an OPM Federal Retirement Plan with good options in this area?

[retiredguy123]

I have the Federal Blue Cross Standard plan and have had no problems finding providers who accept my plan. In fact, I have never contacted a provider who didn't accept the plan. Also, I decided to not subscribe to Medicare Part B and have saved thousands of dollars by not having to pay the Medicare premiums during the last few years.

[Toymeister]

This is impossible to accurately answer without more details.

You didn't tell us about your health, age, or medications that either of you use. Perhaps you want to have some privacy, which is understandable.

Take myself and my spouse, both retired feds eligible for separate plans. I, as a young (by TV standards) healthy male, have an inexpensive high deductable plan. Whereas my wife, a diabetic with cancer has completely different needs.

[chrisinva]

Toymeister is right – it all depends on your circumstances. We are in our early 70s (therefore Medicare is our primary insurer), relatively healthy & active & need only a few prescription drugs. As a retired fed, we were sorely disappointed and very unpleasantly surprised that the great Kaiser HMO we had back home didn’t exist in FL. After extensive research we signed up with Aetna & are happy. Suggestions for research besides the company usual brochures – search this site for other options and search in Next Door app. Use search terms like: health insurance, health premiums, drug options.

Be sure to look into SHINE (they provide free and unbiased health insurance counseling through a dedicated network of volunteers) SHINE - Home (https://floridashine.org/) ; they hold classes online now.

Hope you are near or over 65; Medicare coverage makes a world of difference. Good luck.

[retiredguy123]

If you are a retired Fed, do the math before signing up for Medicare Part B, especially if you have an increased premium because of IRMA. The Blue Cross Standard plan has an annual catastrophic maximum limit of $5,000 for out of pocket expenses. For me, paying for Medicare Part B makes no financial sense at all.

[Glorantha]

Both of us are 60 and in relatively good health. I get my primary care through VA, but wife needs local physician and specialist.

[retiredguy123]

Both of us are 60 and in relatively good health. I get my primary care through VA, but wife needs local physician and specialist.
What is your current OPM plan? I am very surprised that you can't find local providers who do not participate in a Federal plan. I have never contacted any provider who wouldn't accept the Federal Blue Cross plan.

[Toymeister]

Both of us are 60 and in relatively good health. I get my primary care through VA, but wife needs local physician and specialist.

If 'relatively good health ' means very good health then I would get a High Deductible Health Care Plan (HDHCP). Then utilize the tax savings aspect of those plans and put $7,300 away in a Health Savings Account (HSA), that $7,300 will be free of Federal income tax, caa-ching! That $7,300 is ALWAYS your money, in YOUR, name.

The plan: APWU Consumer Driven Option.

More details: The plan contributed $2,400 towards the $3,600 deductible, then 80% coverage. The plans premiums are very inexpensive. The $2,400 rolls from year to year.

[Byte1]

Fed retired, with the basic FEPBLUE (blue cross/blue shield). Saw no reason to invest in Medicare "B" and pay almost $200 EACH per month when FEPBLUE pays most of our med bills. Yes, we have a Co-payment plan but we also have prescriptions as part of the plan. I do get a break with the VA, since I only pay a small Co-payment for my meds if needed. But, the VA takes payment from BC/BS as full payment otherwise. Almost everyone around here takes BC/BS so there is no reason to worry about coverage. FEPBLUE is handled by Florida Blue here, and has not been that great with their administration for us compared to elsewhere. But, they are still better than many, in my opinion.