Human Resources
Continuing Insurance Benefits at Retirement
Overview of Continuing Benefits at Retirement
Health Plans Available to Retirees
Managed Care Organization (MCO) Health Plans
MCO Health Plans and Out of Network Services
Effective Date of Retiree Coverage
Enrollment & Change Period
Qualified Life Events
How to Apply for Retiree Health and/or Dental Insurance
2008 Health Premiums
Retiree Health Insurance (before Medicare eligibility)
Retiree Medical and Medicare
Retiree Dental Insurance
Life Insurance Conversion
Long Term Disability Conversion
Retiree Health and Dental Insurance Resources
Retiree Health Insurance Flyer
Medicare Part D Creditable Coverage Letter
Retiree Dental Insurance Flyer
Wellmark Disease Management Program
Retiree Health Insurance Premiums
2008 Retiree Health Premiums (Before Medicare-eligibility)
2008 Retiree Health Premiums (Sick Leave Insurance Program (SLIP))
2008 Retiree Health Premiums (Medicare-eligible without Medicare Part D)
2008 Retiree Health Premiums (Medicare-eligible with Medicare Part D through SilverScript)
Overview of Continuing Benefits at Retirement
To be eligible for continuing retiree health and dental coverage, you must apply for and receive State of Iowa pension benefits. If you rescind your retirement and do not receive a pension benefit, you will not be considered to have taken retirement and will not be eligible for this program.
- As a retiree, you can continue to participate in health and dental coverage for your lifetime.
- If your spouse is covered under your State of Iowa's health and dental plans at the time of your death, he or she can continue health and dental coverage for his or her lifetime.
- If you drop State of Iowa health and dental coverage, there is no provision for rejoining the group at a later date.
As a retiree, you can elect:
- Health insurance only
- Dental Insurance only
- Health and dental insurance
You can have different coverage levels such as family coverage for health insurance and single coverage for dental insurance.
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Health Plans Available to Retirees
You have the same health and dental plans available as a retiree as active employees. For 2008, retirees have the following health plans available.
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Blue Access
Deductible 3 Plus
Blue Advantage
Iowa Select
Program 3 Plus
UnitedHealthCare
UnitedHealthcare Choice HMO
UnitedHealthcare Heritage Select
The same health plan provisions that govern active employees’ coverage also apply to retirees’ coverage. If a new health plan is offered to active employees, retirees have the same opportunity to elect the new plan. If a health plan is no longer offered to active employees, retirees must select a new health plan.
For general information about the State of Iowa's health and dental insurance plans, go the DAS-HRE Health Insurance Web site.
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Managed Care Organization (MCO) Health Plans
Depending upon your location, you may have a Managed Care Organization (MCO) health plan option. The state offers four MCO plans in 2008. They are:
- Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Access
- Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Advantage
- UnitedHealthcare Choice HMO
- UnitedHealthcare Heritage Select
The following map and table links indicate the counties that have adequate participating providers to offer services as noted. Please check the provider directories for any plans that interest you to ensure that there are participating doctors, specialists, labs, hospitals, clinics, etc. in your area. IMPORTANT: Services will not be paid by the carrier if you do not go to participating providers for all your health care needs.
2008 Managed Care (MCO) Service Area Map
2008 Managed Care (MCO) Service County Table
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MCO Health Plans and Out of Network Services
If you are enrolled in a MCO health plan and permanently relocate outside the health plan's service area, only emergency services will be covered in your new location. At the time of relocation, you can change to a different health plan. Electing another health plan, due to moving out of the MCO service area, needs to be done as soon as possible when you change your permanent residence.
Note: The Blue Access and Blue Advantage plans have a guest membership provision that allows you to become a guest member of other Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans when you are outside the Wellmark health plan network area for at least 90 days. For more information about guest membership provision of Blue Access or Blue Advantage, contact Wellmark's customer service.
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Effective Date of Retiree Coverage
Coverage in the active employee group will cease at the end of the month in which you retire. Your coverage as a retiree will begin the first of the month following retirement.
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Enrollment and Change Period
Retirees have an annual enrollment and change period similar to active employees. As a retiree, you can change your health plan or coverage level during the enrollment and change period.
Prior to the annual enrollment and change period, DAS-HRE sends correspondence explaining health plan changes or options to retirees enrolled in health insurance.
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Qualified Life Events
When you enroll in retiree health or dental insurance, your elections remain in effect to the end of the calendar year. You cannot make any changes until the next enrollment and change period unless you experience a qualified life event and the benefit change you request is consistent with the event.
If you experience a qualified life event, you can request changes that are consistent with the life event by notifying the insurance carrier within 30 days after the date of the event (60 days for birth and adoption.) If you do not notify the insurance carrier within the required timeframe following the event, you will not be able to change your benefits until the next enrollment and change period.
Additional information can be found at the DAS-HRE Qualified Life Events Web site.
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2008 Retiree Health Premiums
The cost of retiree health and dental coverage is the total cost of the insurance: the state portion plus the employee portion. Following is a link to the 2008 retiree health and dental premiums.
2008 Retiree Health Premiums (Before Medicare-eligibility)
2008 Retiree Health Premiums (Sick Leave Insurance Program (SLIP))
2008 Retiree Health Premiums (Medicare-eligible without Medicare Part D)
2008 Retiree Health Premiums (Medicare-eligible with Medicare Part D through SilverScript)
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How To Apply for Retiree Health and/or Dental Insurance
Complete the Application for Continuation in the Retired/Disabled State Group Health or Dental Insurance Program form and any other forms applicable. Submit the completed agreement and other forms to your department's Personnel Assistant prior to your retirement date.
Retiree Health Insurance (Before Medicare-eligibility)
If you retire before you are eligible for Medicare (in most cases, before age 65), you could be eligible for the Sick Leave Insurance Program (SLIP). SLIP is an opportunity for eligible state employees to use all or part of their unused sick leave balance to pay the state’s share of their health care premiums after they retire until the time when they are eligible for Medicare (Medicare bridge program.)
State employees eligible for the SLIP program are:
- Executive branch AFSCME represented employees
- Executive branch IUP represented employees
- Executive branch Non-Contract employees
This program does not include:
- Board of Regents employees
- Community Based Corrections employees
- Elected officials
- Executive branch SPOC covered employees
- Judicial branch employees
- Legislative branch employees
These groups may be covered by similar programs designed just for them.
Additional information, including the 2008 premiums, is located at the Sick Leave Insurance Program (SLIP) Web site.
Contact your Personnel Assistant for specifics and the required paperwork at the time of retirement.
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Retiree Medical and Medicare
You can continue your health coverage with the State of Iowa when you become eligible for Medicare. Generally, Medicare eligibility is granted when you turn age 65. It can also be granted at an earlier age if you are approved for a disability and receive Social Security disability benefits.
Medicare Supplemental Plan
Once you become Medicare eligible, you may elect to drop the State of Iowa group coverage and purchase a private Medicare supplement plan. A Medicare supplement plan differs from the State of Iowa group in that the benefits provided vary by supplement option. If you drop your State of Iowa health plan and purchase a Medicare supplemental plan, coverage for your spouse and dependent are also cancelled.
Continue with State of Iowa Plan
You can continue with the State of Iowa group plan after you become eligible for Medicare, your benefits do not change. Benefits offered to Medicare eligible retirees are the same as the benefit plan offered prior to becoming Medicare eligible. You submit proof that you have Medicare Parts A and B to your health insurance carrier. Medicare will become the primary payer on your claims and the State of Iowa group will pay as secondary. A premium rate reduction will occur at that time.
Additional information, including premiums, is located at the Health Insurance for Medicare-Eligible Retirees Web site.
Contact the insurance carrier for specifics and the required paperwork when you become Medicare eligible.
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Retiree Dental Insurance
You can continue to participate in the State of Iowa’s group dental plans when you retire. As a retiree, you can continue to participate in dental coverage for your lifetime. If your spouse is covered by our group insurance at the time of your death, he or she can continue dental coverage for his or her lifetime.
If you drop State of Iowa dental coverage, there is no provision for rejoining the group at a later date.
The same dental plan provisions that govern active employees’ coverage also apply to retirees’ coverage.
The cost of retiree dental coverage is the total cost of the insurance. Dental premiums are either single or family. Dental coverage for you and your spouse is considered family coverage. Dental premiums are not reduced when you become eligible for Medicare. Following is a link to the 2008 retiree dental premiums.
For general information about the State of Iowa's dental insurance plan, go to the DAS-HRE Dental Insurance Web site.
Contact your Personnel Assistant for specifics and the required paperwork at the time of retirement.
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Life Insurance Conversion
Your State of Iowa life insurance coverage will cease at the end of the month in which you retire. You can elect to convert your group term life insurance to an individual whole life policy. Your Personnel Assistant will complete the employer section of the Group Life Insurance Conversion form; you are then responsible for contacting Hartford and submitting any required information directly to them.
For the life insurance conversion premiums, click on the following link.
Hartford life insurance conversion premiums
Any resulting coverage becomes an individual contract between you and the insurance carrier.
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Long Term Disability Conversion
The State of Iowa long term disability coverage will cease on your last day of active employment. You cannot convert long term disability insurance.
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Updated: 07/10/2008