Active Employees Eligible for Medicare

If you, as an active state employee, and/or your dependents become eligible for Medicare, your State Group Insurance health plan will continue to be your primary insurance coverage unless your dependent requires treatment for end-stage renal disease; see your plan document for details. Medicare overage pays secondary (after the health plan pays) only if you enroll in a State Group Insurance health plan. Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) is free, but Medicare Part B (medical insurance) requires you to pay a monthly premium.

As long as you are an active employee, you and/or your dependents can delay your Medicare Part B coverage without penalty. You should call your local Social Security Office to defer enrollment. However, as soon as you retire, you and/or your dependents should enroll in Part B. Once you and/or your dependents are eligible for either Medicare Part A or Part B as a retiree, your State Group Insurance health plan pays secondary, even if you and/or your dependents don’t enroll in Medicare Part A or Part B. As a retiree, if you and/or your dependents do not elect your Medicare Part B coverage right away, you pay the first 80 percent of your health care expenses, making you potentially responsible for expensive medical bills.