T6 Pilot

Quick question as I'm trying to research the issue...

Is it possible (or smart/stupid) to "decline" a airline company's health package in lieu of other options. If hired, I'll have the military retiree health benefits, in addition to my wife's benefits. Would you get compensated more, or could you negotiate those options?

Can someone please educate me if it would be beneficial to decline, and if it is (or isn't), the reasons why.

Appreciate the help.

satpak77

I think in today's age, I would take all the benefits I could get, from a medical/health standpoint. Be careful on relying on your wife's. I knew a guy who got divorced (didn't see it coming) and struggled to regain medical insurance from his current employer after signing it all away.

Packrat

Yes, you can always decline an employer's health care program. What you need to do is evaluate your military retired benefits vs. your spouse's benefits vs. what the airline offers.

Usually, you cannot combine the coverages. You just have to decide which plan best suits your needs and the availability of services where you live.

DoubleD

Depending on your airlines plan it can work out very well to take the Tricare Prime and the company plan for yourself. The company plan becomes primary and the Tricare becomes secondary.

The effect is that the Company plan pays first. The remaining is paid by the Tricare. Reducing your out of pocket to zero.
This works well if the company plan is low cost. For the company I work for the Health plan for an Individual is greatly reduced from the health plan for with dependents. So, if the cost for having you on your wife's plan is more than the cost for your airline plan I would take your airlines plan (assuming the plans are similar).
Medical,dental,vision plans vary between the airlines and I would wait until I was somewhere and then ask people in a similar situation to you as to what works best for them.

Just my 2cents.

Hueypilot

I was wondering the same thing. Both my wife and I are currently civilian Federal employees (I'm an AFRC ART and she works for the VA). I currently carry a family plan under the FEHB program and it's great insurance. I'm considering dropping the FEHB and having my wife pick it up under her name and forgoing the airline insurance...

satpak77

Not telling anybody what to do, but FEHB is one of the best health insurance programs out there. Don't know if I would drop it...

Hueypilot

I wouldn't drop it, my wife would pick it up. The open season is closed, but they make exceptions for "life events", to include a spouse losing their benefit. I could also get Tricare Reserve Select as well, but looking into it, FEHB seems better for about the same cost.

navigatro

I believe that you are not eligible for Tricare Reserve Select if you are able to be covered by FEHB. TRS is a better value than FEHB (coverage per cost).

also, I would think that Tricare Prime for a retiree would be adequate coverage, and getting additional airline coverage would not be worth the cost.

T6 Pilot

Which begs my original question -- being that I would be 41 yrs old when hired, and in excellent overall health, I don't see the immediate necessity to have 3 different coverages.

navigatro

Half of my reply was an attempt to answer your question. In my humble opinion, I would stick with Tricare Prime only, and save your money. However, you may have different needs than me or others, so do the math and see if additional coverage is necessary.