Q. I am enrolled in the health or dependent care spending account(s). What will happen when I retire?
A. Your contributions will stop when you retire. You may continue to submit claims incurred while you were still working, through the year-end deadline.
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Q. Can I change my health benefits after I retire?
A. Retirees are notified each year in June of the annual open enrollment period. The open enrollment announcement is mailed to your home. You may make changes according to the open enrollment guidelines.
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Q. Will my premiums change as soon as I retire?
A. Depends on type retirement and years of service. Public Safety employees who meet retirement eligibility or who qualify for a disability retirement will pay the same as active employees. All other service retirement rates are predicated upon "years of service". A chart outlining retiree rates is included in each year's open enrollment information.
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Q. If I am enrolled in an HMO and move out of state, what should I do?
A. Contact the Insurance Division to determine which group health plan will now work best for you. Depending on the state you move to, your HMO may or may not work for you.
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Q. For what other reasons should I contact the insurance division?
- If you move so we can notify your health provider
- If you have a family life style change, i.e. marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of a child - We must be notified within 31 days of these changes
- To remove an ineligible dependent
- When you or a spouse become eligible for Medicare
- If you need general information about your health or life insurance plans
- To change your beneficiary on your life insurance
- To notify us of the death of a retiree covered by life insurance
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Q. Do I have to fill out any forms to continue my health insurance once I decide to retire?
A. When the Insurance Division is notified by the retirement office that you have retired we will send to you, in the mail, the appropriate application(s) to transfer your health benefits from active to retired status. You may wish to stop in the Insurance Office after signing your retirement papers to pick up the forms in person.
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Q. What happens to my dental insurance after I retire?
A. That depends on which dental plan you are enrolled in. If you are enrolled in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Traditional Dental plan it will terminate the end of the month. You may continue in that plan only under COBRA, paying 100 % of the cost for a maximum of 18 months. If enrolled in a Managed Dental Plan (UCCI or the Dental Network,) it will continue IF your health plan is either an HMO or the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Point-of-Service Plan. If you are enrolled in Health Care Preferred, your managed dental will terminate the end of the month.
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Q. If I am enrolled in an HMO and the traditional dental plan as an active employee, can I switch to a managed dental plan as soon as I retire?
A. Yes - retirement is considered a change in employment status that would allow changing plans.
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Q. What happens to my vision plan after I retire?
A. Depends on which health plan you are enrolled in. If enrolled in an HMO or the Point-of-Service plan, your vision continues. If enrolled in Health Care Preferred, it will terminate the end of the month.
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Q. What happens to my life insurance after I retire?
A. If you were hired prior to 7/1/97 and if you elected to enroll in the life insurance plan when first eligible you may continue your life insurance plan after retirement. The amount of life insurance that was in effect the day you retired will remain in effect after retirement. It will not reduce. (If you did not enroll when first eligible, contact the Insurance Division to determine if you will be eligible as a retiree.) There are no forms to complete to continue it. The deduction will be set up to be taken from your retirement check.
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Q. Will my life insurance premium go up as I get older?
A. No. Your life insurance premium will not increase due to age. However, if an increase in the life insurance rate becomes effective for employees, it will also be effective for retirees.
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Questions on any of the above should be directed to the Baltimore County Insurance Division. Call either 410-887-2569 or 1-800-274-4302.
Revised July 1, 2008
Courthouse 