The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program offers comprehensive health insurance for you and your family. If you carry FEHB into retirement, your spouse and eligible children may continue coverage after your death. However, this depends on one critical step: electing either a full or partial survivor annuity when you retire. Without it, your dependents won’t be eligible for FEHB survivor benefits.
Requirements for Survivors
For your spouse or children to keep FEHB coverage after your death, two conditions must be met:
- You must have been enrolled in Self Plus One or Self and Family coverage at the time of your death.
- At least one family member must qualify for a survivor benefit through FERS or CSRS.
How Benefits Apply to Children
If your spouse or child is eligible for a survivor annuity, children can remain covered under Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment until they reach age 26.
- If no spouse or other survivor is eligible, coverage switches to Self Only for the child.
- This coverage continues until the child’s survivor annuity ends; typically at age 18, or age 22 if they are a full-time student.
What Happens if a Surviving Spouse Remarries
- If a surviving spouse remarries before age 55, their FEHB coverage ends the month before the remarriage.
- If the marriage to the federal retiree lasted 30 years or more, FEHB benefits continue even if the surviving spouse remarries.
- Regardless of remarriage, children who qualify for a survivor annuity may still keep their FEHB coverage.
Premiums for Survivor Coverage
When you pass away, the government continues paying its share of FEHB premiums for eligible survivors. The enrollment is switched into the survivor’s name, and their share of premiums is deducted from the survivor annuity.
- If the annuity isn’t enough to cover their portion (about 25% of the premium), they can either switch to a lower-cost plan or pay premiums directly to OPM.
- Upon your death, OPM will notify your surviving spouse about their FEHB coverage options.
To learn more about your complex federal benefits, including FEHB survivor benefits, reach out to a Federal Retirement Consultant (FRC®) who can answer any questions you may have.
