Enrollment Updates

Life Events Impacting Enrollment

Changes in your life can impact your enrollment in Trust coverage and which plans are available to you.

As long as you are eligible for coverage, you may change your health plan election at any time after you have been in your current plan for at least 12 months. To make a change, contact Retiree Health Care Connect (RHCC) (866-637-7555). The change will generally take effect on the first day of the second month following the month RHCC receives the election (for example, June 1 if your election is made in April).

Once you make a change to your health plan elections, you must wait 12-months to make another change.

Exceptions may be allowed prior to the 12-month period if a new plan becomes available in your area or based on certain life events, such as:

  • Adding and removing dependents
  • Dual coverage eligibility
  • COBRA
  • Medicare eligibility and enrollment
  • Address change
  • Death

Disenrollment from a Medicare Advantage plan is allowed at any time.

If you change health plans mid-year, in most cases, your cost-share amounts (such as your deductible and out-of-pocket maximum) will reset, meaning you don’t get credit for the money you put toward your deductible amount and it will reset to $0 under the new plan.

Couple reviewing documents with woman

Address Change

It is important to keep your address and phone number(s) on file with the Trust up-to-date. This will ensure you receive updates and other mailings regarding your benefits. You can update your contact information by contacting RHCC.

Temporary Address Change

In addition to keeping your permanent (primary home) address up-to-date, you can provide the Trust with an alternative (temporary) address. The alternative address can be used by retirees who spend time away from their primary home. Adding an alternative address to your file does not change your health care plan or the options available to you.

All address changes are effective the first day of the month following notification of the address change.

 

Death Reporting

The death of a retiree, surviving spouse or dependent must be reported to RHCC. Upon the death of a retiree, dependents will remain on coverage through the end of the month of the death.

In the event of the retiree’s death, if the retiree has a covered spouse or same-sex domestic partner, a new contract (where the spouse becomes the primary enrollee) under the Trust will be effective the first day of the month following the date of death. In this case, the primary enrollee is now considered a “surviving spouse.”

If the surviving spouse is entitled to a pension benefit and the monthly contribution was taken from the retiree’s pension payment prior to the retiree’s death, the monthly contribution will be taken directly from the survivor’s pension payment. If the pension amount is insufficient for the monthly contribution or the surviving spouse is not entitled to a pension, they will be offered the opportunity to pay the monthly contributions through direct debit or monthly invoice.

If there is no spouse/same-sex domestic partner on your coverage contract but there are other dependents, the dependents will be offered the opportunity to continue health care coverage through COBRA, effective the first day of the month following the retiree’s death. For more information these benefits, visit the COBRA Benefits page.