Medicare

If you enroll in the Medicare Program while you are still employed, or if you were already enrolled when you were hired (and are a participant in the State Health Benefits Program), the State Health Benefits Program will become your primary insurance plan, which means that the State Program will always pay first.

Although Medicare enrollment is not required for those who continue to work, we strongly urge you to contact the Social Security Administration when you or your spouse reach age 65 so that you understand how to secure Medicare coverage when you leave work.

State law requires that anyone who has retired and is eligible for Medicare must enroll in Medicare Parts A and B in order to be covered under the retiree group of the State Health Benefits Program. The State Program cannot pay for benefits which should have been paid for by Medicare.