Health

• As of 2009, federal retirees can continue to receive health benefits after retirement, as long as you start your retirement annuity no later than one month after your retirement date, and if you were enrolled in a health plan for the five years before you retirement. Benefits include hospital and surgical care, in-patient and outpatient care, mental health benefits and prescription drug coverage. Retired employees can also pay for the plans in various ways, including fee for service with a PPO, HMOs or a consumer-driven health plan. Most plans cover dependents, even after the retiree's death. Benefits are not reduced if you file for Medicare.
  
  

Dental and Vision

• Federal retirees are eligible for dental and vision coverage at group rates. OPM offers four national and three regional dental plans to choose from, and the nationwide plans cover family members, including those living overseas. There are no limits on preexisting conditions, although there may be waiting periods on certain procedures.
  
  

Life Insurance

• After retirement, the OPM determines whether a federal retiree is eligible to continue to receive life insurance benefits. Those requirements include drawing your retirement annuity no later than one month after retirement, paying into a life insurance policy for the five years before retirement and not converting the policy into an individual policy, or canceling the policy altogether.
  
  

Flexible Spending Accounts

• Federal retirees are not eligible for this program, unless they become reemployed and continue to draw their annuity.
  
  

Long Term Care

• Most federal retirees, and their qualified relatives, are eligible for long-term care coverage. The policy can reimburse up to 100 percent of the cost of nursing homes, bed reservations, home care, adult day care, caregiver service and hospice service. There is also a stay-at-home benefit that is 30 times the daily benefit amount. Reimbursement is based on a daily benefit amount, which can range from $100 to $450 per day, in increments of $50.