Key Takeaways

  • Working for or retiring from the federal or state government means you have special considerations regarding Medicare coverage.

  • The date on which you started your service as a federal or state employee may affect your receipt of Part A and Social Security benefits.

  • People in Federal Employee Health Benefits Plans should consider carefully how their benefits coordinate with different parts of Medicare.

If you are currently working for, or have retired from, service in the federal or state government, you have special considerations regarding your Medicare coverage options.

The date on which you started your service may affect the receipt of Part A and Social Security benefits. For people who began their federal/state careers prior to 1983, you were exempt from paying the Federal Insurance Contributions Tax (FICA) and therefore not subject to mandatory Medicare coverage.

Our fact sheet helps you to understand your enrollment decisions when you first become Medicare-eligible, as well as when you retire from actively working. You'll also learn how Medicare coordinates with other coverage, such as FEHBPs, TRICARE, and veterans' benefits.