Retiree Health Plans

When you retire, you and your dependents may be eligible to enroll in the Tufts University Retiree Health Plan.

Retiree Health and Dental Plan Eligibility

Retiree health and dental benefits are available to eligible retirees who are age 60 or older with 5 years of eligible service, or if the sum of their age and eligible service equals 75. Retirees hired prior to 1/1/94 are eligible for a health plan subsidy.

Contact Tufts Support Services (TSS) at 617-627-7000 at least nine months before your scheduled retirement date to confirm eligibility and request retirement planning information. Visit Considering Retirement for details.

Under Age 65 Retiree Health Plan

If you or your eligible family members are under age 65, you can enroll within 31 days of your retirement in the Retiree Health Plan and/or Retiree Dental Plan. The same coverage options are available for active employees (Delta Dental Premier Plan and Blue Cross Blue Shield BCBS PPO Plus, PPO, and PPO HDHP Plan).

Enrollment

• To enroll, submit the Under Age 65 Retiree Health & Dental Enrollment Form to TSS.
• To ensure a timely and streamlined transition of your health coverage, you must complete the enrollment process before your retirement.
• If you waive U65 health coverage, you can enroll in the Age 65 plan within 31 days of your 65th birthday with Via Benefits.
• If you waive dental coverage at retirement, this forfeits current and future enrollment rights. Visit the Retiree Dental Plan for details.

If enrolled, coverage will start on your retirement date and you will be billed for your health coverage by EBPA the university's third-party billing administrator. For retiree health enrollment and billing questions please contact EBPA at 888-232-3203.

Under Age 65 Retiree Health Plan University Subsidy

If you meet the age and service requirement above and you were hired before January 1, 1994, you are eligible for a university subsidy under the Retiree Health Plan. Each October, updated subsidy amounts for the next calendar year will be available through EBPA, our retiree health plan administrator.

If you are eligible for the university subsidy and retire under age 65, you must enroll in a Tufts University health plan within 31 days of retirement in order to receive the subsidy. The Health plan subsidy is provided as a direct credit off of the health plan bill you receive from EBPA. See Retiree Rates Sheets for details.

Age 65 and Over Retiree Health Plan

If you or your eligible family members are age 65 or over, your current health insurance coverage will need to each transition into individual Medicare Parts A & B and an individual Medicare supplemental health plan effective the 1st of a month. Eligible persons need to apply to enroll in Medicare Parts A & B three months before their retirement date, and separately enroll in a supplemental plan through Via Benefits. Via Benefits has been chosen by Tufts University as the resource to assist age 65 and over retirees to find and enroll in new individual Medicare supplemental health and prescription drug coverage. Via Benefits operates a private Medicare insurance marketplace. On-going customer service support and health plan resource guidance will be provided by Via Benefits.

Medicare Parts A and B

To qualify for Medicare, you must have worked for at least ten years and have at least forty working credits on record with Social Security. You can find additional information about requirements on the Medicare website.

Medicare consists of two parts:

• Parts A is for hospital services; provided at no cost if you have the required working credits
• Part B is for medical/doctor services; provided for a monthly premium

Enrolling in Medicare

Before you can select a health plan through Via Benefits, you must enroll in Medicare Parts A and B:

• Employee and Spouse/Domestic Partner (DP) must apply individually for Medicare Part A & B.
• Apply for Medicare Parts A & B no sooner than 3 months, but at least 8 weeks prior to the retirement date.
• Contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) (800-772-1213) to determine the best application submission option for you.
• Provided here is the link for online submission and information: SSA.GOV.
• Contact TSS to provide you and your Spouse/DP if age 65 and over, with:
  • A Medicare Part B Application Form CMS40 (requires completion by you/your spouse/DP separately).
  • A completed Employer Information Form CMS L564 (completed for you/ your spouse/DP if currently on our health plan)

Supplemental Health Plans through Via Benefits

Via Benefits is a private Medicare exchange that Tufts University partners with to provide health coverage for retirees over the age of 65. You can use this resource for assistance in finding and enrolling in new individual Medicare supplemental health and prescription drug coverage to replace their current health coverage.

Enrollment

To ensure a timely and streamlined transition of your health coverage, you must complete the enrollment process 31 days prior to your retirement.

• Three months prior to retirement, set up a profile on the Via Benefits website and assess health plan options.
• Call Via Benefits (844-353-0774) to set up a phone consultation to complete enrollment.
• Enrollment in Medicare Parts A & B is required prior to enrolling in an Age 65 and over supplemental health plan.
• Election of health coverage through Via Benefits must be made within 31 days of your retirement date (or within 31 days of your 65th birthday).
• You will be billed for your health plan coverage directly by the insurance carrier you choose through Via Benefits.
• Via Benefits will send annual Medicare Open Enrollment information during October/November.
• The insurance carrier will notify you of plan rates and any changes effective January 1st of the following year.
• Waiving a health plan through Via Benefits forfeits current and future rights to a health plan subsidy, if eligible.

Age 65 and Over University Subsidy

If you meet the age and service requirement above and you were hired before January 1, 1994, you are eligible for a university subsidy under the Retiree Health Plan. Each October, updated subsidy amounts for the next calendar year will be available through Via Benefits, our retiree health plan administrator.

If you are eligible for the university subsidy and retire at age 65 or over, you must enroll in a health plan through Via Benefits within 31 days of your retirement (or within 31 days of your 65th birthday) in order to receive the subsidy.

Age 65 and Over Retiree Health Plan Subsidy (if hired prior to 1/1/94 and enrolled in a plan through Via Benefits):

If you do not enroll in a supplemental plan through Via Benefits within 31 days of retirement (or within 31 days of your 65th birthday), you waive current and future rights to the health plan subsidy.

COBRA

If enrolled in the active employee health plan, coverage will end at 11:59 p.m. on your last day of employment.

Per federal regulations, EBPA, our COBRA administrator, will mail notification of your rights to continue your coverage under COBRA for up to 18 months. To elect COBRA, you must enroll within 60 days from the date of notification. Enrollment is complete once EBPA receives your first premium payment. For more information on enrollment and billing contact EBPA at 888-232-3203. The election health coverage under COBRA forfeits current and future enrollment rights to enroll in the Tufts retiree dental plan.

Additional Information

• For questions about health and dental plan eligibility, contact TSS at tss@tufts.edu or 617-627-7000.
• For questions about Under the age of 65 retiree health coverage and enrollment EBPA at 888-232-3203.
• For questions about Age 65 and over health coverage and enrollment, contact Via Benefits at 844-353-0772.

Vendor Links

• EBPA- U65 retiree health/dental billing administrator
• Via Benefits - Age 65 and Over Health Plans
• 2024 BCBS Health Plan - U65 Health Plan

Information & Forms

• 2024 Retiree Benefits Information
• 2024 Retiree Benefits Rates

Under Age 65 Forms

• Under Age 65 Retiree Health & Dental Enrollment Form

Age 65 and Over Forms & Links

• Medicare Part B Application Form CMS40B
• Medicare Employment Information Form CMS L564
• Age 65 & Over Retiree Dental Enrollment Form

Plan Documents

• Retiree Health Plan Document
• Retiree Health Plan Reimbursement Plan Document