Other Requirements to Enroll

At the time of retirement, you do not need to be enrolled in health and/or dental coverage as an active employee to elect UI coverage at retirement.

Retirement is considered a qualifying event to enroll for health and/or dental coverage, including eligible family members. Coverage must be elected at retirement with the effective date of coverage on the first day of the month following your last day worked.

Qualifying Events to Elect/Change Coverage

• Qualifying events to ENROLL in retiree coverage
  • Suppose your coverage is not continued/elected at the time of your retirement.
    • In that case, the only opportunity to elect it in the future is if you have had continuous employer-based coverage since retirement through your employment or spouse/partner's employment.
    • The other coverage cannot be COBRA or retiree coverage offered by the other employer. It must be employer-based coverage provided through active employment. Your request to enroll must be received within 30 days of the loss of coverage.
• Qualifying events to ADD a spouse/domestic partner
  • Marriage (within 30 days)
  • Spouse's employer-based coverage ends (within 30 days)

Documentation Required:

Suppose you (retiree) and/or your spouse/domestic partner is enrolling for coverage due to employer-based coverage ending. In that case, you must provide evidence that you have had the coverage since retirement and the date it is ending (letter from HR or insurance carrier), along with Wellmark and/or Delta Dental application(s) obtained from University Benefits. 

Termination/Continuation of Coverage: 

• Terming UI Retiree Coverage

Requests to terminate coverage can be made at any time throughout the year.
 

• Requests to terminate coverage must be received in writing (email or letter). Coverage is terminated on the last day of the month when notification is received. Retroactive terminations are not permitted.

• Surviving spouses can continue coverage following the death of a retiree. Information is mailed to the spouse upon notification of the retiree's death.
   
• Family members (spouse and children) are not eligible for coverage if the retiree does not continue coverage or drops coverage at any point in retirement. 
  • For example, a spouse/domestic partner cannot continue coverage if the retiree is living and not covered.

Plan and Coverage Information:

• Plan coverage, premium rates, and the UI contribution for eligible retirees and dependent(s) can change annually.
   
• The option of retiree coverage is reviewed annually by UI leadership. However, lifetime coverage is not guaranteed. Further, the UI contribution is not guaranteed.
   
• If Medicare eligible:
  • Retirees must be enrolled in Medicare Parts A & B as primary.
  • Medicare enrollment is required for UIChoice, UISelect, and Health Alliance participants. In addition, you must contact University Benefits if you become Medicare Eligible due to disability before the age of 65.
  • Medicare-eligible retirees and family members have the option of four UI retiree health plans: UIChoice, UISelect, Health Alliance HMO, and Health Alliance PPO. Eligible participants have the option to switch from one plan to another each year during open enrollment. The option to change plans is available each year with no limit. 
     
• UI contribution towards UI Health Insurance Plans
  • Eligibility is based on your age and years of continuous benefits-eligible employment at retirement.
  • If an employee retires and receives the contribution and then later returns to active employment/benefits and retires a second time, the contribution will continue (if available) following their second retirement. This is true even if they did not meet the ten-year requirement after returning to work the second time.
     
• If a retiree is eligible and offered ACA health coverage through their employment with the university and ACA coverage is elected, they may not keep the Retiree Dental II plan. In addition, the retiree cannot re-elect Dental II when the ACA health coverage ends.
   
•