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By: FEDweek StaffFollowing is a summary posted by OPM of the general requirement that those retiring from the Postal Service after this year, and their family members, to enroll in Medicare Part B when they become eligible, and to remain enrolled, in order to be eligible under the Postal Service Health Benefits program that replaces the FEHB starting in January for postal employees and retirees.
• Certain Medicare-eligible Postal Service annuitants and their Medicare-eligible family members must enroll in Medicare Part B to keep PSHB coverage, with some exceptions. See below.
• This is different from the FEHB Program, where there is no Medicare Part B enrollment requirement.
• Information about how to enroll in Medicare Part B is available here.
Exceptions to the Medicare Part B Enrollment Requirements
These Postal Service annuitants and family members are not required to enroll in Medicare Part B to be enrolled in a PSHB plan:
• Postal Service annuitants who retired on or before January 1, 2025, and are not already enrolled in Medicare Part B
o Family members of these Postal annuitants are also not required to enroll in Medicare Part B to be covered by a PSHB plan.
• Postal Service employees who are age 64 or older on January 1, 2025
o These employees are not required to enroll in Medicare Part B after they retire to enroll in PSHB as an annuitant.
o Family members of these employees also are not required to enroll in Medicare Part B after the employee retires to be covered by a PSHB plan.
• Postal Service annuitants or family members who live outside the United States and its territories. This includes the States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
o These annuitants and family members will need to document their residency.
o A Postal Service annuitant or family member who moves back to the United States may lose eligibility for this exception and could be required to enroll in Medicare Part B to be enrolled in a PSHB plan.
o More information about Medicare Part B enrollment is available here.
• Postal Service annuitants or their family members eligible for or enrolled in certain health benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) (subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code)
o When a Postal Service annuitant is eligible for this exception, a family member of the annuitant is not required to enroll in Medicare Part B, whether or not the family member is eligible for VA benefits.
• Postal Service annuitants or their family members eligible for health services from the Indian Health Service (IHS)
o When a Postal Service annuitant is eligible for this exception, a family member of the annuitant is not required to enroll in Medicare Part B, whether or not the family member is eligible for IHS services.
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