Health coverage, for life.
The latest additions.
Turning 65 as a Fed: The Money Moves Most People Miss
The biggest benefits-decision year of your retirement, as an 8-move checklist — Medicare, FEHB, HSA, IRMAA, and Social Security — each linked to a full walkthrough.
Do Federal Retirees Even Need Medigap? The Traps to Avoid
Almost never — FEHB already acts as a Medicare supplement, often better than Plan G. The two Medigap traps: paying twice, and the irreversible mistake of dropping FEHB.
Self Only vs. Self Plus One vs. Self+Family: The FEHB Tier Most Retirees Overpay On
Benefits are identical across tiers, so it’s pure cost — and the trap cuts both ways. Empty-nesters overpay on Self+Family, and 39 plans in 2026 price Self Plus One higher.
New to this? Read these first.
Medicare Part B at 65 for Federal Retirees: The $2,400 Decision
The Part B enrollment decision, the 2026 IRMAA brackets, the PSHB mandate for postal retirees, the 10% per year penalty math, and the situations where Part B is genuinely worth $2,400+ per year.
The FEHB 5-Year Rule for Retirement: What Federal Employees Need to Know
5 U.S.C. § 8905(b), the rule’s mechanics, the TRICARE strategy that keeps the backdoor open, the OPM “skip-over” example, and the lifetime value of $500,000+ in government premium support.
Medicare Enrollment Timing & the Lifetime Late Penalties (2026)
Miss your Medicare window and the Part B penalty is 10% a year, forever. The IEP, SEP, and GEP rules, the retiree-FEHB trap, and a penalty calculator.
The Part B decision
Medicare Part B at 65 for Federal Retirees: The $2,400 Decision
The Part B enrollment decision, the 2026 IRMAA brackets, the PSHB mandate for postal retirees, the 10% per year penalty math, and the situations where Part B is genuinely worth $2,400+ per year.
Medicare Enrollment Timing & the Lifetime Late Penalties (2026)
Miss your Medicare window and the Part B penalty is 10% a year, forever. The IEP, SEP, and GEP rules, the retiree-FEHB trap, and a penalty calculator.
The Medicare Part B Late-Enrollment Penalty
Why FEHB shields you only while working, the spouse trap, and the enrollment windows — with a calculator for the lifetime cost of a delay.
Medicare Part B Givebacks: Which 2026 FEHB Plans Reimburse Your Premium
Several FEHB plans pay back $800–$1,200 of your Part B premium, and some MA plans reimburse more. Which plans, how to claim, and a break-even calculator.
FEHB in retirement
The FEHB 5-Year Rule for Retirement: What Federal Employees Need to Know
5 U.S.C. § 8905(b), the rule’s mechanics, the TRICARE strategy that keeps the backdoor open, the OPM “skip-over” example, and the lifetime value of $500,000+ in government premium support.
Medicare Open Season Decisions for Federal Retirees
FEHB plan review, Medicare Part D EGWP, suspending FEHB, and the cancel-vs-suspend rule that matters more than people realize. The 2026 numbers: +12.3% FEHB premiums, $2,100 Part D cap, and Form RI 79-9.
2026 FEHB Changes and the PSHB Transition
Postal workers moved out of FEHB into PSHB — bringing a Medicare Part B requirement that’s catching retirees off guard. Who’s affected, who’s exempt, the 12.3% premium jump, and an interactive Part B requirement checker.
Cancelling FEHB in Retirement: The One-Way Door
Cancelling is permanent — you can never re-enroll. The cancel-vs-suspend distinction, what suspension allows, and how to cut costs without losing coverage.
FEDVIP Dental & Vision Insurance, Explained
Why there's no government contribution, the no-5-year-rule retiree advantage, standard vs. high plans, and the pre-tax quirk — with a cost estimator.
Coordinating Medicare & FEHB
Medicare Part D and FEHB: Do Federal Retirees Need It? (2026)
FEHB drug coverage means no Part D penalty, but the new $2,100 out-of-pocket cap changed the math. How the FEHB EGWP works, when to opt out, and a calculator.
Suspending FEHB for Medicare Advantage: Keep Your Way Back (2026)
Federal retirees can suspend FEHB for a Medicare Advantage plan and keep the right to return. Suspend vs cancel, RI 79-9, re-enrollment, and a calculator.
Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage: How to Choose in 2026
Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage — plus the FEHB-sponsored third path most feds never hear about. The 2026 trade-offs, the one-way-door warning, and a “which fits you” priorities matcher.
TRICARE for Life and FEHB: The Decision for Military Feds
The suspend strategy, the coordination of benefits, and when each plan wins for dual-status retirees in 2026. With a three-strategy cost comparison calculator showing 20-year savings.
Medicare Enrollment Kills Your HSA Contributions: The 6-Month Lookback
Any part of Medicare ends HSA contributions, and Part A backdates up to 6 months — turning legal contributions into a 6% penalty. When to stop, and a risk calculator.
Coverage gaps & costs
FEHB 2027: What’s Already Decided (and What You’re Still Waiting On)
OPM’s March 2026 call letter already locked in several FEHB and PSHB changes for plan year 2027 — even though premiums aren’t announced until fall. Here’s what’s settled, what’s still pending, and how to prepare for Open Season.
What Medicare Doesn’t Cover: The Gaps and How to Fill Them (2026)
Dental, vision, hearing, long-term care — and no out-of-pocket cap. Every gap, what each costs, how to fill it, and the federal FEHB advantage.
Long-Term Care Costs & Planning: The 2026 Guide for Federal Retirees
Long-term care can run $115k a year and Medicare won’t touch it. The 2026 costs, the four ways to pay, the FLTCIP suspension — and a cost projector.
Retiring Before 65: How to Bridge Healthcare Coverage Until Medicare
Bridging the gap to Medicare when you retire early — and in 2026 the ACA subsidy cliff is back. FEHB continuation, COBRA, and Marketplace plans compared, with a cost calculator.
The $172,500 Healthcare Bill Most Americans Don’t See Coming
Fidelity’s 2025 estimate for a single 65-year-old — before long-term care. What the number includes, the seven things Medicare doesn’t cover, the HSA strategy, and how FEHB changes the math for federal retirees.
The Hidden Medicare Surcharge Hitting Retirees Over $109K
IRMAA adds $1,148 to $6,936 per person above $109K single / $218K MFJ. The full 2026 bracket table, the two-year lookback, the cliff effect, and the Form SSA-44 appeal most retirees never file.
FEHB’s New Family-Member Verification Rule
Since July 1, 2026, you must prove eligibility for any family member you add — every time, including Open Season. Who’s eligible, the married-12-months second-proof trap, the ex-spouse trap, and an eligibility checker.
The FLTCIP Is Closed: The Long-Term Care Gap
The federal LTC insurance program has been shut to new enrollees since 2022 — and Medicare and FEHB don’t cover custodial care. Why it’s frozen, your alternatives, and a funding-gap calculator.
The most-asked questions, answered
- Do I have to enroll in Medicare at 65? Part A: usually yes (it’s free for those who paid in). Part B: depends on whether you keep FEHB.
- Can I keep FEHB in retirement? Yes, if continuously enrolled for the 5 years immediately before retirement.
- What’s PSHB? The new postal-worker health program that replaced FEHB for USPS employees and retirees in January 2025.
- What about TRICARE for military retirees? Free at age 65 with Medicare Part B enrollment.
- What is IRMAA? A Medicare premium surcharge for higher-income retirees. Income thresholds are cliffs, not slopes.
The full federal retirement picture
FEHB & Medicare is the healthcare layer. The FERS & CSRS pillar covers your pension. The TSP pillar covers your retirement savings. The Social Security pillar covers claiming strategy. The Tax Strategy pillar covers how each income stream is taxed.
Explore the FERS & CSRS pillar →