Health and Dental Insurance for Retirees

Within 90 days following your effective date of retirement The first day of the month following the last day a member (1) worked, was on vacation, or was paid sick leave, or (2) the first of the month a member files his or her application for benefits, whichever is later., you may apply for coverage under one of the PERS group health and dental insurance plans. These plans provide coverage for your spouse and eligible dependents if you wish. Coverage will be effective (1) on your date of retirement if you apply before your date of retirement or (2) on the first day of the month after your application is received if you apply after your date of retirement.

You may enroll at any time if you are a PERS retiree who has been covered under another group health plan for 24 consecutive months immediately preceding enrollment in a PERS health plan. Coverage will be effective on the date your other coverage ends. (Preceding coverage must be with an employer-sponsored group health plan. For example, if you are on Medicare A and B and are enrolled in AARP, this does not qualify as a group plan. AARP is not a group insurance plan but an individual plan.)

You can have the insurance premiums deducted from your monthly retirement benefit.

For information on PERS-sponsored health and dental insurance, call 503-224-7377 (in the Portland area) or 800-768-7377 (outside of Portland) or write to:

PERS Health Insurance Program

PO Box 40187

Portland, OR 97240-0187

You also should determine what retiree insurance plans are available through your employer or as a dependent on your spouse’s insurance. For information on employer-sponsored health insurance, contact your personnel or payroll office.

In addition, you may be eligible for another subsidy if you are retired from the state of Oregon and not eligible for Medicare. ORS 238.415 established a fund called the Retiree Health Insurance Premium Account (RHIPA) to help pay the monthly health insurance premiums for certain state retirees.