Page 70 - The Informed Fed--Hearn (edited 10.29.20)

Medicare Part A
Medicare Part A is the hospitalization coverage portion of Medicare
and is free to anyone who has paid into the Medicare system for at least
40 quarters (or ten years). Because all federal employees were required to
begin paying into Medicare in March of 1986, even if you’re in CSRS,
you should be covered here. Because it is free to you--you’ve paid in
1.45% while you’re working--you’ll want to sign up for this coverage at
age 65. Your FEHB insurer wants you to sign up as well, because it helps
take some of the burden off them. You’ll sign up for Medicare Part A
when you turn 65. You have 7 months--that’s three months before your
65th birthday, the month of your birthday, and three months after your
65th birthday--to enroll. Whether you’re still working or not, you’ll want
to sign up for Medicare Part A because you do not pay anything for this
coverage. If you are still working at age 65, your FEHB will remain the
primary payer until you retire, when Medicare will take over as the
primary payer.

Medicare Part B
Medicare Part B has a cost of $135.50 (for 2019) per month and if
you opt for this coverage at age 65 (or when you retire, whichever is
later), it becomes your primary insurer and your FEHB acts as a Medicare
Supplement. If your modified adjusted gross annual income is greater
than $85,000, your premium increases on a sliding scale. This is known
as means testing. If you have the means to pay more, you’re charged
more for Medicare Part B. Many federal employees question whether
they need Medicare Part B. Keep in mind that unless you’re turning 65
soon, much of what you’re reading here could change by the time you
get there.
The general pros and cons of choosing Medicare Part B are as
follows: on the positive side, you’ll have broader access and stand to have
a greater portion of your health care expenses paid for. If you’re in an

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