Retiree Health Plan
Depending on your retirement tier, you may be eligible to enroll in the University of Idaho retiree health plan. Please submit a tier request to Benefit Services approximately a year before your prospective retirement date to find out your options.
Note that you must be enrolled in an active University of Idaho employee medical plan to transition to the retiree health plan.
You may choose to purchase coverage elsewhere if you are not eligible for retiree medical coverage through the university or feel that the university plan is not the best fit for your needs. Please review the information below and consider your options carefully. University of Idaho retiree health plan elections are irrevocable.
If you are retiring soon and have chosen to join the retiree health plan, please review information on transitioning to the plan.
If you are already retired and enrolled on the retiree health plan, the information below describes your coverage. Contact benefits@uidaho.edu with any questions.
Plan Options and Coverage
The university offers two retiree health plans:
- Retiree PPO plan
- Retiree High Deductible Health Plan (Retiree HDHP)
- See the Summary Plan Description
The plans also differ based on your Medicare eligibility:
- Pre-Medicare plan (for retirees under age 65) – see Pre-Medicare Medical Benefits At-a-Glance
- Post-Medicare plan (for retirees age 65 and over) – see Post-Medicare Medical Benefits At-a-Glance
Your retiree health plan election (Retiree PPO or Retiree HDHP) applies to all dependents you enroll on your coverage and is irrevocable. You will not have a future opportunity to switch between plans.
Relationship to Medicare
In order to participate in the retiree health plan, you MUST enroll in Medicare Parts A and B when you first become eligible. Unless you have a disability that qualifies you for Medicare coverage early, Medicare will be effective on the first day of the month in which you turn 65.
The retiree health plan is not a Medicare Supplement. Once you are enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, Medicare becomes the primary insurer and the university retiree health plan is secondary. The retiree health plan coordinates with your other insurance coverage and processes claims according to a maintenance of benefits (MOB) provision, meaning that it coordinates benefit payments from all your medical plans so that plan benefits are maintained at the level set by the retiree health plan after all payments have been made.
Dental and Vision Coverage
Dental coverage and vision coverage (routine vision exams and glasses/contact lenses) are NOT included in the retiree health plan.
Medical-based vision exams and cataracts are covered under the retiree health plan.
Prescription Drug Coverage
Both the Retiree PPO Plan and the Retiree HDHP provide prescription drug coverage until you become Medicare eligible and/or turn 65. The prescription drug benefit is administered by CVS Caremark.
If you are a Tier 1 retiree on the Retiree PPO Plan, you will have access to prescription drug coverage through the SilverScript Prescription Drug Plan after you become Medicare eligible. For retirees in all other tiers/plans, prescription drug coverage ends with Medicare eligibility. You may purchase a separate Medicare Part D drug plan on your own. A certificate of creditable coverage will be mailed to your home upon Medicare eligibility. This certificate allows you to transition to Medicare Part D coverage effective on the first day of the month following the one when your university prescription drug plan terminates.
Tier II and Tier III, Plan A: Health Reimbursement Account (HRA)
If you are in Tier II or Tier II and select the Retiree PPO Plan, once you are Medicare eligible the university provides a reimbursement stipend in lieu of prescription drug coverage. The stipend is provided through a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) administered by Health Equity and may be used towards the cost of prescription drugs or a Medicare Part D plan. See the HRA FAQs sheet for more information.
Retiree Death Benefit
A death benefit is available to Tier 1 retirees on all plans. Please review the Retiree Death Benefit Plan Summary for additional information. To add or change beneficiaries, please complete the Retiree Death Benefit Beneficiary Form.
Enrolling Dependents
When you first enroll in the retiree health plan, it is the only opportunity to add your spouse or other eligible dependents to your plan, except under the following circumstances:
- If your spouse is an active University of Idaho employee, they may be added to your plan on the day following their retirement or separation.
- You may add new spouses or new dependents within 30 days of the date of marriage or within 60 days of the date of birth or adoption.
Loss of other coverage is NOT a qualifying event to enroll dependents on your retiree health plan.
Note: Some retirees select short-term COBRA coverage for a spouse or dependent, as the cost of coverage is less than the cost under the retiree health plan. You may also elect COBRA dental and vision coverage for yourself and your dependents for a maximum of 18 months. Information about COBRA will be mailed to your home address as you near retirement.
Rates and Paying for Coverage
Retiree Rates
Rates for all tiers and plans are available below. Please contact Benefit Services with any questions.
Paying for your coverage
You will be billed monthly for your retiree health coverage. Payment is required by pre-authorized bank draft (ACH). Please use the Pre-Authorized Checking Registration Form to set up payment. Checks, credit cards and bill pay are not accepted.
Please note: your first invoice will include both the first and second months of enrollment.
If you do not pay your cost of coverage in a timely manner, your university retiree health plan will end and you will forfeit your right to join the plan at a later date.
Tier IV: Sick Leave Conversion
If you are in Tier IV, half of your unused sick leave up to a maximum of 600 hours may be used to cover the cost of Tier IV retiree health plan coverage for the retiree. Sick leave conversion may not be used to pay for the cost of coverage for dependents, dental or vision coverage, voluntary benefits or life insurance. When your sick leave credits run low, you will receive a letter with instructions on how to change to direct billing or terminate your plan.
For retirees in tiers I, II and III, unused sick leave is not paid out and has no cash value or conversion option.