U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Ensuring the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce

As a Federal retiree you pay the same premiums and receive the same benefits as an active Federal employee. As a retiree, your premiums are paid on a monthly basis rather than bi-weekly. On an annual basis the retiree and employee pay the same amount. Please note some agencies (e.g. Postal Service, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.) contribute more toward their employees’ health insurance premiums, and when those employees retire they no longer receive the higher agency contribution.

When you become eligible for Medicare, those benefits will generally be paid as the primary carrier and your Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program health plan will pay benefits as the secondary carrier. You can find more information at Coordination of Medicare and FEHB Benefits.

You can find more information about the benefits and premiums in the chapter on Annuitants and Survivors in the FEHB Handbook.

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