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Benefits & Welfare
Retiree
Insurance
Retiree Insurance Eligibility
Did you know that if you retire under TRS
or ORP at age 65+ with 10+ years TRS/ORP or, if your age plus
years of TRS/ORP totals 80+, under current State law you can
continue the same insurance throughout your life that you have
as an employee? When you turn age 65, Medicare becomes your
primary insurance carrier, and ERS GBP insurance you had through
TWU employment becomes your secondary insurance. TWU retirees
are not eligible for TRS-Care, the TRS insurance for ISD
retirees.
Retiree
Insurance Forms
Medicare
When you turn age 65 and start drawing
Social Security, Medicare Part A is automatic and free. Medicare
Part A is hospitalization. If you are age 65 and still working,
you do not have to enroll in Medicare Part B until you terminate
regular employment.
Once you are retired and age 65 or over,
you are required to enroll in Medicare Part B. Medicare Part B
is medical and there is a cost to purchase it. There is a
deductive and co-insurance. Medicare Part B will become your
primary insurance and pay a percentage of the assigned cost of
medical treatment. HealthSelect will consider only the
percentage of outpatient charges that Medicare does not cover
(whether you enroll in Medicare Part B or not).
In addition to your benefits being
coordinated with Medicare, you and your covered dependents now
will have out-of-area coverage. HealthSelect coverage for
retirees age 65 and over is a traditional indemnity type health
plan. You may select any doctor. However, if you see a doctor
who does not accept Medicare assignment, you may have to pay the
difference between what your doctor charges and what Medicare
will pay.
If you are over age 65 and are enrolled in
Medicare Part B and you return to work, your Medicare coverage
will be secondary to HealthSelect out-of-area. If you drop your
Medicare coverage, you may be subject to a penalty and have a
waiting period when you pick it up again after you stop working.
If you retire under the age of 65 and return to work, you can
delay purchasing Part B (without penalty) until you stop
working.
Your covered dependent(s) under age 65 may
continue in-area coverage when you turn age 65. To continue
in-area coverage for your under age 65 dependents, contact ERS
Customer Service. ERS will notify HealthSelect that the
dependent’s health insurance claims are to be paid as in-area.
These dependents must still use a primary care physician (PCP)
to direct their coverage within the network.
ERS discourages retirees from enrolling in Medicare Part D for
2006-2007. The State of Texas will continue offering
prescription drug benefits as part of the health plan that is at
least as good or better than the new Medicare Part D plan. Refer
to the ERS website
www.ers.state.tx.us/home/default.aspx
for more details. For deductible and reimbursement
information, contact BCBS HealthSelect at 1-800-252-8039 or
www.bcbstx.com/hs.
Medicare info is available through the Social Security website
www.ssa.gov. |
