A federal retiree considering TRICARE or CHAMPVA needs an election review as well as a premium comparison. The words used on the request matter. Keep the alternative program's eligibility evidence, the retirement system's response and the confirmed coverage dates together.
Understand which action is being requested
OPM distinguishes an annuitant's FEHB cancellation, which generally ends reenrollment rights, from an approved suspension for specified alternative coverage. Qualifying arrangements include TRICARE and CHAMPVA, but having some other insurance does not automatically qualify. Suspension requires documentation submitted to the retirement system; it is not created by merely stopping premium payments.
The return route depends on circumstances. OPM describes future Open Season reenrollment and an immediate route after involuntary loss of the qualifying alternative coverage. Obtain the applicable filing instructions and effective date. Do not assume a voluntary switch has the same timing as an involuntary loss.
Build a side-by-side election record
| Item | Current FEHB record | Proposed alternative record |
|---|---|---|
| People covered | Enrollment type and family members | Eligibility for each person |
| Program name | Exact plan and option | TRICARE, CHAMPVA or other qualifying category |
| Effective date | Current enrollment confirmation | Official start date |
| Requested action | Suspension or cancellation, written explicitly | How alternative coverage is established |
| Future change | Applicable reenrollment route | Events that could end eligibility |
| Confirmation | Retirement-system decision | Alternative program confirmation |
Leave uncertain fields marked unresolved. An estimate from a friend or an insurer's general brochure cannot substitute for the retirement system's election determination. Ask the office receiving the form to confirm which supporting document identifies the qualifying category.
Keep retirement eligibility separate from suspension
An employee approaching retirement has a different first question: whether FEHB can continue into retirement at all. A suspension strategy does not fix an incomplete eligibility history. Bring the coverage record to the benefits office before selecting the requested retirement action.
Ask the office to explain how any military or family coverage period affects the record, what enrollment must be in place at retirement and whether a gap requires additional evidence. Use the FEHB retirement eligibility worksheet for that separate review. Do not treat a qualifying alternative program as permission to leave an eligibility gap unexplained.
Request an effective-date review
Put the planned end of FEHB premium deductions beside the planned start of alternative coverage. Ask how submission timing changes the suspension effective date, where the request must be sent and how to obtain a receipt. Use the current version of RI 79-9 and instructions applicable to the retirement system handling the case.
If deductions continue while the request is processing, ask the responsible office for status and any adjustment instructions. Do not create a second cancellation request merely to stop deductions. Preserve the first receipt and ask whether another submission would replace, duplicate or conflict with it.
Plan for a future return before leaving
Write a hypothetical return scenario: alternative coverage is lost, a family member's eligibility changes or a different coverage arrangement becomes desirable. For each scenario, ask what event documentation is required, which filing window applies and when FEHB would resume. A household may need separate answers for the retiree and each dependent.
This exercise does not predict future eligibility. Its purpose is to expose missing instructions while the responsible office can explain them. Keep current contact information and the suspension approval with the original retirement records so a future request can identify the actual election.
Questions to settle before signing
- Does my proposed arrangement qualify for suspension under current rules?
- Is every person I expect to cover eligible under that arrangement?
- Does the form state the action I intend, and have I understood its consequences?
- Who determines the effective date, and what written confirmation will I receive?
- What happens if alternative coverage starts late or ends unexpectedly?
For broader cost and family comparisons, use the FEHB plan comparison worksheet. This guide does not authorize an election, recommend cancellation or determine military health eligibility.
Browse federal benefits, retirement and insurance topics or read how we prepare and check our guides.
Sources
- OPM: Suspending FEHB for TRICARE or CHAMPVA, checked November 3, 2026
- OPM: Annuitants, checked November 3, 2026
- OPM RI 79-9: Cancellation or suspension of FEHB, checked November 3, 2026
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