Nearing
Retirement

Health benefits do not automatically continue into retirement. You must meet eligibility requirements and enroll on time to have health coverage as a retiree.

Rules, timing and eligibility requirements:

• You must have retired from the S for health benefits for their specific bargaining unit.
• You receive a monthly retirement allowance.
• You must retire within 120 days of separation.
• Your separation and retirement dates must be within 30 days to automatically continue coverage.
  • If more than 30 days apart, you must request enrollment within 60 days of your retirement date.
  • If more than 120 days apart, you are not eligible for retiree health benefits.

If you do not want health benefits to continue into retirement, you have the option to cancel your coverage by:

• Submitting a Health Benefits Plan Enrollment Form to your employer (if still active).
• Declining CalPERS health coverage on either CalPERS Service Retirement Election Application or on CalPERS Disability Retirement Election Application.
• Writing or calling CalPERS to request to cancel health coverage (if retired).

What to do next:
Contact your departmental personnel office to confirm your separation and retirement dates, review your eligibility and submit any required enrollment or cancellation forms within the applicable deadline.

Learn more:
For information on health plans and premiums, visit Retiree Plans & Rates webpage on the CalPERS website.

Dental benefits do not automatically continue into retirement. You must meet eligibility requirements and enroll on time to have dental coverage as a retiree. You also may continue your current dental coverage through COBRA for up to 18 months.

Rules, timing and eligibility requirements:
To enroll in or continue dental coverage as a retiree, all the following must apply:

• You were enrolled in, or eligible for, a state-sponsored dental plan on your last day
• You retire within 120 days of separating from state
• You receive a monthly retirement allowance from CalPERS.

If you were enrolled in a cash option in lieu of dental benefits when you retire:

• Your dental enrollment will stop automatically.
• You may enroll in a dental plan up to 30 days before or 60 days after your retirement date.

Retirement is not a permitting event to add new dependents to dental coverage.

Union-specific provisions (if applicable to you)
Some employees have additional rules:

• California Association of Highway Patrolmen (CAHP):
  Employees who retired on or after September 30, 1992, may continue their union-sponsored indemnity, prepaid or alternative dental plan or make a one-time, irrevocable conversion into the CAHP dental indemnity, prepaid or alternative plan.
• California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA):
  Employees enrolled in a union-sponsored dental plan must change to a state-sponsored dental plan and retire within 120 days of separation to continue dental coverage into retirement.

What to do next:
Your departmental personnel office will enroll you in dental benefits when you retire. You also may continue your current dental coverage through COBRA for up to 18 months. If you do not enroll at that time, you may have the option to enroll later during Open Enrollment.

Follow these steps to review, confirm and enroll in retiree dental coverage:

• Review retiree dental plan options to choose the plan that best meets your needs.
• Confirm whether you meet the eligibility and timing requirements.
• Enroll in coverage
  • At retirement, through your departmental personnel office.
  • During a future Open Enrollment period, through CalPERS, if eligible.

Learn more:
Visit the Retiree Bookshelf and click Retiree Dental Handbook to learn more. 

If you are eligible for state-sponsored vision benefits, you may continue your current vision coverage through COBRA for up to 18 months, or you may choose to enroll in the Basic Vision Plan or the Premier Vision Plan for retirees.

Rules, timing and eligibility requirements: 

• You must enroll in a state-sponsored retiree vision plan within 60 days of your retirement date.
• To enroll, you must complete the Retiree Vision Enrollment Form (CalHR 695), which must be signed by your former departmental personnel office.
• Retiree vision coverage becomes effective on the first day of the month following the end of your active employee coverage.

What to do next:
Decide whether to elect COBRA or enroll in a retiree vision plan. If enrolling as a retiree, complete the Retiree Vision Enrollment Form (CalHR 695), and submit it within 60 days of your retirement date.

Learn more:
Visit the Retiree Bookshelf and click Retiree Vision Handbook to learn more.

Coverage does not automatically continue into retirement. Therefore, if you are currently enrolled in the plan and wish to continue your coverage or if you are not currently enrolled and would like to enroll, you must complete a Retiree Enrollment form and submit it to ARAG insurance.

Rules, timing and eligibility requirements:
If you are not enrolled at the time of retirement:

• You may enroll within 60 days of retiring.
• If you did not enroll within 60 days of retirement, you must wait until the next Open Enrollment

If you are enrolled at the time of retirement:

• You must re-enroll within 60 days of retiring to continue coverage into retirement.
• If you do not re-enroll within the 60 days of retirement, coverage will end and your next opportunity to enroll will be the next Open Enrollment period.

What to do next:
First, confirm with your departmental personnel office whether you are currently enrolled in the plan. This will help you determine whether you need to request an enrollment form to continue your coverage or enroll as a new participant.

Your departmental personnel office should provide you with an enrollment packet and ensure you complete a retiree enrollment form within 60 days of your retirement date.

If your departmental personnel office did not provide you an enrollment packet, you can contact ARAG at (800) 511-4007 to request an enrollment form, or visit the ARAG Retiree website to enroll online or download an enrollment form under the resources tab.

How to enroll and submit your enrollment form: 

• Enroll online at ARAG at https://www.araglegal.com/socretiree
• Enroll over the phone at 1-800-511-4007
• Submit an enrollment form
  • Email: Forms@aralegal.com (note not used for communication)
  • Fax: 515-246-8816
  • Mail: ARAG, 500 Grand Ave., Suite 100 Des Moines, IA 50309-2405

Learn More:
Visit the following webpages to learn more

• com/SOCretiree
• CalHR Benefits – Retiree Group Legal Services Insurance plan
• CalHR Benefits – Retiree Bookshelf

Coverage does not automatically continue into retirement, Therefore, you must contact MetLife to continue your life insurance coverage into retirement.

Rules, timing and eligibility requirements: 

• You must contact MetLife within 30 days after retirement to continue your coverage, or you will lose the benefit.
• You do not need to wait until your retirement date; you may contact MetLife prior to retirement to begin the continuation process.
• If you do not act within the required timeframe, your coverage will end.
• Once coverage ends there are no enrollment opportunities.

What to do next:
Contact MetLife at (800) 252-8524 before or within 30 days after your retirement date to request continuation instructions and complete any required forms.

Learn more:
Visit the following webpages to learn more 

• CalHR Benefits – Retiree Life Insurance  
• MetLife – Retired Employees 

Savings Plus administers your 401(k) or 457 Plan account. Retirement does not automatically close your Savings Plus account. You have several options for managing your funds as a retiree.

Rules, timing and eligibility requirements:

• You may leave your funds in your account, roll over funds, or begin withdrawals if eligible.
• After retirement, you may still:
  • Change plans during retiree Open Enrollment.
  • Add or remove eligible dependents.
  • Update beneficiaries.

What to do next: 

• Review your distribution and rollover options.
• Contact Savings Plus to understand tax implications, timelines, and eligibility requirements.

Learn more: 
To access articles, videos and webinars that can help you as you get close to retiring visit: Savings Plus Nearing Retirement Resources.