@JeffSpooner - not all Federal government retirees are receiving a Cadillac healthplan at retirement.  Some departments are starting a phase-out, beginning with non-union managerial employees. My s/o is one of them. Retirement benefits have been, well, retired.  The option is now to buy into the plan at retirement, at about $270 a month. And of course that does not even include medical for provinces like BC where mandatory coverage must be purchased on top of that.