The following is a question submitted by a reader to Federal Times columnist Reg Jones, a charter member of the senior executive service and the resident expert on federal employee retirement issues.
A Fed Times reader asks:
“I have FEHB coverage in retirement. Why should I buy Medicare Part B (monthly premium is over $500 per month)! If Part B premiums are going to be means-tested and -based, it’s very expensive.”
Reg’s response:
The decision about whether to pay for Medicare Option B is up to you.
Coverage under the FEHB program plus Medicare Part B may satisfy most medical needs, though The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association has pointed out a small percentage of retirees elect to be covered by Part B.
Those that do usually fall into two broad categories: 1) those who have medical conditions where the cost of coverage will be offset by the benefits; and 2) those who are concerned that they may need that coverage in the future.
