Find information on the open enrollment page that’s right for you: PEBB retirees, PEBB employees and PEBB continuation coverage subscribers, and SEBB employees and SEBB continuation coverage subscribers.
When you or your dependent turns age 65 you are required to enroll in Medicare. Learn more about Medicare and what you have to do to keep your PEBB retiree health plan.
Note: If you or your spouse or state-registered domestic partner is enrolled in Medicaid, please contact us, as this may affect your PEBB retiree health plan coverage.
Medicare Part A and Part B are provided to you by the federal government. Other parts of Medicare are offered through private insurance companies and follow rules set by Medicare. You will sign up for Parts A and B on the Social Security Administration website.
Medicare Part A helps cover:
As a PEBB retiree, you are required to enroll in Part A.
For most, there is no premium for Medicare Part A. Contact Medicare with questions.
Medicare Part B helps cover:
As a PEBB retiree, you are required to enroll in Part B.
There is a premium for Medicare Part B that you pay directly to Medicare. Contact Medicare with questions about premiums and how to pay them.
Medicare Part C, also known as Medicare Advantage plans, generally includes Parts A, B, and D. All Medicare Advantage plans include additional benefits. These plans manage all the paperwork for claims with Medicare. There is a premium for most Medicare Advantage plans.
As a PEBB retiree, you can enroll in a PEBB Medicare Advantage plan. The PEBB Program offers several Medicare Advantage with Part D plans. You also have the option of purchasing a Medicare Advantage plan from a private insurance company. If you choose to purchase a private plan, you may lose your right to enroll in PEBB retiree insurance coverage.
Learn more about these plans under What are my medical plan options?
Medicare Part D helps cover the cost of prescription drugs. It is a voluntary program available to people enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B.
As a PEBB retiree you should know:
There is a premium for Medicare Part D. The Part D premium is included in the premium for PEBB plans that include Part D.
A Medicare supplement plan, or Medigap plan, can help pay for some of the health care costs that Medicare Part A and B don't cover, such as copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.
Medicare supplement plans do not offer prescription drug coverage. If you don’t have creditable drug coverage, you will also need to purchase a Medicare Part D plan on the open market, since the PEBB Program does not offer a stand-alone Part D plan.
Each Medicare supplement plan is identified by a letter A through N. All plans offer the same basic benefits, and some offer extra benefits. The PEBB Program only offers Premera Blue Cross Medicare Supplement Plan G. Plan G only pays when Medicare pays for services billed under Medicare Part A and Part B. You also have the option of purchasing a Medicare supplement plan from a private insurance company. If you choose to purchase a private plan, you may lose your right to enroll in PEBB retiree insurance coverage.
As a PEBB retiree, you can enroll in Medicare Supplement Plan G. There is no prescription drug coverage with this plan. If you choose Plan G, you may have to enroll in Medicare Part D to get your prescriptions, unless you have other creditable drug coverage, like VA.
Contact Medicare with questions.
Yes. As a retiree, you and your covered dependent are required to enroll in both Medicare Part A and Part B as soon as eligible to stay enrolled in a PEBB retiree health plan.
We encourage applying for Medicare three months before turning age 65. Doing so will make sure you enroll (or meet the requirements to stay enrolled) in PEBB retiree insurance coverage within our timelines.
To enroll in Medicare, call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213, TTY: 1-800-325-0778 or visit their website.
Can I change my plan?
Yes. Enrolling in Medicare also qualifies as a special open enrollment event, allowing you to change your medical plan.
Yes. Once you or your dependent enrolls in Medicare Part A and Part B, you must send us proof of the enrollment. We must receive your proof no later than 30 days before you or your dependent turn age 65 (or if delayed, no later than 60 days after turning age 65). If you are enrolling in PEBB retiree insurance coverage for the first time, submit proof in Benefits 24/7 or with your Retiree Election Form (form A).
Send us a copy of the Medicare:
Write your name and last four digits of your Social Security number on the copy.
You can:
We will reduce your premium to the lower Medicare rate, if applicable. We will also notify your medical plan of your Medicare coverage. If you are paying premium surcharges, they will stop when you (the subscriber) enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B.
Compare the PEBB Medicare plan benefits. In many cases, you and your dependents can stay enrolled in your current medical plan. If you choose to change medical plans, here are your options and instructions on how to enroll.
If available in your county of residence. See plans available by county.
Learn more about Kaiser Permanente NW Senior Advantage with Part D.
Use Benefits 24/7 or a form to enroll.
If you are enrolled in PEBB retiree insurance coverage submit:
If you are not enrolled in PEBB retiree insurance coverage submit:
You have seven months to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.
This seven-month period:
We must receive the forms no later than the last day of the month before the month you or your dependent enrolls in the Medicare Advantage plan. Non-Medicare members will be enrolled in Kaiser Permanente NW Classic.
The enrollment will be effective on the first of the month after we receive Form E.
If available in your county of residence. See plans available by county.
Learn more about Kaiser Permanente WA Medicare Advantage with Part D.
Use Benefits 24/7 or a form to enroll.
If you are enrolled in PEBB retiree insurance coverage submit:
If you are not enrolled in PEBB retiree insurance coverage submit:
You have seven months to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.
This seven-month period:
We must receive the forms no later than the last day of the month before the month you or your dependent enrolls in the Medicare Advantage plan. You must also select Kaiser Permanente WA Classic, SoundChoice, or Value for any non-Medicare members enrolled.
The enrollment will be effective on the first of the month after we receive Form E.
Plan G does not include prescription drug coverage, so you may want to enroll in a stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan to avoid being penalized in the future.
Learn more about Premera Blue Cross Medicare Supplement Plan G.
Use Benefits 24/7 or a form to enroll.
If you are enrolled in PEBB retiree insurance coverage submit:
If you are not enrolled in PEBB retiree insurance coverage submit:
You have up to six months after the Medicare Part B enrollment date to enroll. Non-Medicare members will be enrolled in Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) Classic.
The enrollment will be effective the first of the month after the date of the event or the date we receive the required forms, whichever is later.
Learn more about UMP Classic Medicare with Part D (PDP).
Use Benefits 24/7 or a form to enroll.
If you are enrolled in PEBB retiree insurance coverage submit:
If you are not enrolled in PEBB retiree insurance coverage submit:
You have seven months to enroll in UMP Classic Medicare with Part D (PDP).
This seven-month period:
The enrollment will be effective the first of the month after the date of the event or the date we receive Form E, whichever is later.
Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) plans include Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.
Learn more about UnitedHealthcare PEBB Balance and PEBB Complete.
Use Benefits 24/7 or a form to enroll.
If you are enrolled in PEBB retiree insurance coverage submit:
If you are not enrolled in PEBB retiree insurance coverage submit:
You have seven months to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.
This seven-month period:
We must receive the forms no later than the last day of the month before the month you or your dependent enrolls in the Medicare Advantage plan.
The enrollment will be effective on the first of the month after we receive Form E. Non-Medicare members will be enrolled in UMP Classic.
You do not need to enroll in Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. Most PEBB medical plans include prescription drug coverage that is as good as or better than Medicare Part D.
If you enroll in Premera Blue Cross Medicare Supplement Plan G you will need to sign up for a standalone Part D plan because Plan G does not include drug coverage. Doing so will help you avoid a Part D late enrollment penalty.
If you want to enroll in any other PEBB medical plan, you must disenroll from your other Part D plan.
If the person enrolling in Medicare is:
Generally, you and your dependents must enroll in the same medical plan. However, there are some exceptions, as listed in the table below.
|
If the person enrolled in Medicare enrolls in: |
The non-Medicare members on your account: |
|---|---|
|
Kaiser Permanente NW Senior Advantage with Part D |
Will be enrolled in Kaiser Permanente NW Classic. |
|
Kaiser Permanente WA Medicare Advantage with Part D |
Will choose to enroll in Kaiser Permanente WA Classic, SoundChoice, or Value. |
|
Premera Blue Cross Medicare Supplement Plan G UMP Classic Medicare with Part D (PDP) |
Will be enrolled in UMP Classic. |
The PEBB Program
For general information about eligibility, enrollment, or premiums.
The plans
For ID cards, benefit questions, verifying your doctor or other provider contracts with the plans, verifying a plans drug formulary, and claims.