An employee should apply for retiree coverage at least 31 days before his retirement date to avoid a temporary lapse in coverage. A health insurance Application for Coverage form must be received by the employee's Human Resources Office within 31 days of losing coverage as an employee. If the forms are received more than 31 days after coverage as an active employee has terminated, the right to continue coverage as a retiree is forfeited. The effective date of the new coverage will be the first day of the month following termination as an active employee. Retirement is not considered a qualifying event, and coverage type changes cannot be made at that time.
If you or your spouse is eligible for Medicare, contact your local Social Security office to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B, and Part D for drug coverage. It is important to enroll in Medicare to receive maximum benefits. Even if Medicare is not elected, benefits under the Plan will be reduced as though Medicare is the primary payer.
Check Your Medicare Enrollment
If you or your spouse is eligible for Medicare, ensure you enroll in Parts A, B, and D. This helps you receive the full benefits, as the Plan assumes Medicare as the primary payer even if you don't elect it.
In the event an employee does not elect retiree coverage within 31 days of leaving employment, he may still choose to continue coverage through COBRA any time during the balance of the COBRA election period. However, once the COBRA election period expires, the retiree has no option for coverage under the Plan. See specific details regarding COBRA continuation coverage under Continuing Coverage Under the Plan.
If an employee applies for disability retirement through PERS and is not eligible for service retirement, the employee may elect to continue coverage under COBRA until disability retirement is approved. However, disability retirement must be approved by PERS prior to the termination of aforementioned COBRA coverage.
If disability retirement is approved by PERS, an enrollee must complete an Application for Coverage form within 31 days of approval and submit an appropriate premium amount. If the employee experiences more than a 31-day lapse in coverage, he forfeits his right to continue coverage as a retiree.