Retirement Benefits

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Retirees whose eligibility for FEHB ends in general cannot get back into the program. Thus, extreme care must be used when, for example, giving up FEHB coverage in order to be covered under a spouse’s health insurance elsewhere.

Eligibility also ends if your annuity terminates when a disability retiree recovers or is restored to earning capacity. In that situation, your enrollment will end on the last day of the month for which you are entitled to an annuity. However, coverage will be extended for 31 days without cost to you.

You will retain your health benefits coverage if you are entitled to apply for an immediate annuity, i.e., one that begins when your disability annuity stops. You will receive complete information concerning your right to do so if your disability annuity terminates.

If you are under age 60 and your disability annuity is reinstated due to loss of earning capacity or a recurrence of the disability for which you retired, you will be given an opportunity to have health benefits coverage reinstated if you were enrolled at the time your disability annuity previously terminated.

If you are entitled only to a deferred annuity after your disability annuity terminates, you cannot retain your health benefits coverage as a retiree.

Under certain conditions, your annuity also will terminate if you are reemployed in the federal service. If this occurs, your health benefits enrollment will be transferred to your employing agency. If you are so reemployed, you should immediately notify OPM at P.O. Box 45, Boyers, PA 16017-0045.

Be sure to refer to your retirement claim number (CSA number) and provide OPM with a copy of the personnel document showing your appointment, if possible, or the full name and address of your employing agency.

See also, Don’t Make This Mistake and Lose Your FEHB

FERS Retirement Guide 2022