Public school employees nearing retirement must make decisions about a number of issues, including health insurance, before they can enjoy life after school.

Continuing health insurance after retirement depends, in part, on your current insurer. If your group is covered by a WEA Trust health plan, you can keep the Trust health plan when you retire.

Unlike some other employer-based health plans, the Trust allows health plan members who retire after age 55 to continue coverage even after they become eligible for Medicare. In fact, they can retain their group coverage with the Trust as long as they continue to pay premiums and their former employer maintains its Trust health plan.

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.

Medicare must be your primary insurer for you to be eligible for the WEA-MedPlus plan. This means that Medicare first pays its portion of your approved health claim (generally 80%), and then the Trust pays the balance of your covered health care expense.

WEA-MedPlus is a good option for people who want the Trust’s quality group coverage and lower monthly premiums. WEA-MedPlus also includes prescription drug coverage, which Medicare does not currently offer. With WEA-MedPlus, you select your prescription drug co-payment – the higher the co-payment amount you choose, the lower your monthly premium.

To be eligible for WEA-MedPlus, you must:

• Be 65 or older and retired from all active employment.
  
• Be enrolled in both Medicare Parts A and B.
  
• Be currently covered under an employer-sponsored group health plan.
  
• Have no dependent children for whom you want coverage.
  

If you are not currently covered by a Trust group health plan, you must also:

• Be 65, but not yet 66.
  
• Maintain a membership in WEAC-Retired.
  

The cost for WEA-MedPlus depends, in part, on the cost of medical care where you live and the drug co-payment option you select.

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 the Trust at 800-279-4000.

Posted September 27, 2002