U.S. Office of Personnel Management

The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and Medicare

I Want to Join a Medicare Managed Care Plan. Should I Drop My FEHB Coverage?

When you enroll in a Medicare managed care plan, you may not need FEHB coverage because the Medicare managed care plan provides you with many of the same benefits. You should review their benefits carefully before making a decision. You should contact your retirement system to discuss suspension and reenrollment.

Can I Reenroll in FEHB If I Disenroll From the Medicare Managed Care Plan?

If you provide documentation to your retirement system that you are suspending your FEHB coverage to enroll in a Medicare managed care plan, you may reenroll in FEHB if you later lose or cancel your Medicare managed care plan coverage.

If you voluntarily cancel your Medicare managed care plan coverage, you must wait until the next open season to reenroll in FEHB. If you involuntarily lose your coverage under the Medicare managed care plan, you don't have to wait until the open season to reenroll in FEHB. You may reenroll from 31 days before to 60 days after you lose the Medicare managed care plan coverage, and your reenrollment in FEHB will be made effective the day after the Medicare managed care plan coverage ends. An involuntary loss of coverage includes when the Medicare managed care plan is discontinued or when you move outside its service area.

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