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By Scott Culver
Communications Specialist
WEA Trust
April 2004
Public education employees nearing retirement must make decisions about a number of issues, including health insurance, before they can enjoy life beyond the classroom.
Continuing health insurance after retirement depends, in part, on your current insurer. If you’re covered by a WEA Trust health plan, you can keep Trust coverage when you retire.
Unlike some other employer-based health plans, the Trust allows health plan members who are age 55 or older when they retire to continue coverage even after they become eligible for Medicare. In fact, they can retain their group coverage with the Trust as long as premiums are paid on time and their former employer maintains its Trust health plan.
If you have a Trust plan and retire before age 55, you can continue in your district’s group health plan for 18 months provided you or the district make the premium payments.
If you’re not covered by a Trust health plan, check with your school district to find out how long you can continue your health coverage when you retire. By law, employers must offer retiring employees the right to continue group health insurance coverage for at least 18 months.
A cost-saving alternative
Whether you’re covered by a Trust health plan or another group
plan, you may have a cost-saving alternative. School district retirees
should consider WEA-MedPlus – a Trust health plan designed specifically
for Medicare-eligible retirees.
WEA-MedPlus is a good option for people who want the Trust’s quality group coverage and the possibility of lower monthly premiums. WEA-MedPlus also includes prescription drug coverage, which Medicare does not currently offer.
To be eligible for WEA-MedPlus, you must:
If you are not currently covered by a Trust group health plan, you must also:
Please keep in mind that once you leave your group plan (to enroll in WEA-MedPlus or any other plan), you will not be able to rejoin your group plan. That’s why it’s critical to compare plans and weigh your options carefully.
To learn more about WEA-MedPlus, please call a Trust eligibility specialist at (800) 279-4000.
Posted March 19, 2004