Retiree - Health Plan Eligibility
You are eligible to participate in one of the pre-Medicare plans if:
- you meet certain retirement eligibility criteria and are eligible to retire as of July 1, 2007, you are eligible to remain on a health plan with the University's single plan contribution continuing.
- you meet certain retirement eligibility criteria and are eligible to retire after July 1, 2007, you are eligible to remain on a health plan with the monthly Retiree Only premium being determined by age and years of service.
- you are a retiree of any age returning to work for the University of Kentucky on a temporary or part-time basis for at least eight hours per week minimum, on average (.2 FTE).
You are eligible to participate in the Medicare Carveout Classic plan if:
- you meet certain retirement eligibility criteria and are 65 years or older, you are eligible to participate in the Medicare Carveout Classic health plan with the University's single plan contribution continuing.
- you are 65 years or older with more than 5 years but less than 15 years of service, you are eligible to participate in the Medicare Carveout Classic health plan at your own expense.
If you meet certain retirement eligibility criteria and were hired on or after January 1, 2006, you are eligible to participate in a University retiree health care plan on an “access only” basis: Upon retirement, you may participate in a University retiree health care plan by paying the full cost of the group rate health premium for retirees.
Things to consider:
- You must be enrolled in a university health plan at the time of retirement in order to participate in the health plan after retirement.
- You and any eligible dependent(s) covered on your plan at the date of your retirement may remain on your current health plan (or equivalent for out of state residents.)
- If, after retirement, you cancel your University health plan without utilizing your one-time deferral, you will not be eligible to re-enroll unless you take advantage of the one-time deferral option. The "deferral" allows you (and a spouse) to drop coverage and re-enroll one time, if you continue coverage under an employer-sponsored plan.
- Any surviving spouse of a retiree (hired prior to January 1, 2006) who is covered under a UK health plan may receive one half of the single UK Medicare Carveout Classic Plan credit towards the cost of the health coverage. In order to be eligible for the surviving spouse credit, the retiree must have had coverage on his or her spouse at the time of death and the retiree must have been eligible to receive the credit. The credit will cease if the surviving spouse re-marries.
