Employees must be eligible/enrolled in District-paid health benefits and be in paid status on the selected retirement date. (If you are not currently enrolled/eligible, contact Benefits Administration regarding enrollment procedures prior to your retirement date.)

Employees must retire from District service in accordance with the rules of their retirement system (this includes disability allowance under CalSTRS or CalPERS).

Additionally, employees must meet the following requirements:

• Retire from the District and receive monthly payments from own retirement system; CalPERS or CalSTRS.

• Employees hired prior to March 11, 1984 must have 5 consecutive years of qualifying* service immediately prior to retirement.

• Employees hired on or after March 11, 1984 but prior to July 1, 1987 must have 10 consecutive years of qualifying* service immediately prior to retirement.

• Employees hired on or after July 1, 1987 but prior to June 1, 1992 must have 15 consecutive years of qualifying* service immediately prior to retirement or 10 consecutive years immediately prior to retirement plus 10 additional years of qualifying* service that need not be consecutive.

• Employees hired on or after June 1, 1992 must meet the "Rule of 80" where years of qualifying service plus age equal at least the number 80. Employees who have a break in service must also have at least 10 consecutive years of qualifying* service immediately prior to retirement.

• Employees hired on or after March 1, 2007 shall be required to have a minimum of 15 consecutive years of service with the District immediately prior to retirement, in concert with the "Rule of 80" eligibility requirement.

• Employees hired on or after April 1, 2009 must have years of qualifying service plus age equal at least 85 with a minimum of 25 consecutive years of qualifying* service immediately prior to retirement.

• School Police employees (sworn personnel) hired on or after April 1, 2009 must have years of qualifying service plus age equal at least 80 with a minimum of 20 consecutive years of qualifying* service immediately prior to retirement.

*Qualifying years of service consist of fiscal years in which employee was in "paid status" for at least 100 full days and was eligible for District-sponsored health benefits.

Employees who take a deferred retirement (leave funds on deposit with the retirement system for withdrawal at a later date) or opt for a lump sum distribution are not eligible for District-paid retiree health benefits. (If you stop your monthly payments you will lose your District-sponsored benefits.)

Employees may submit a written request to Benefits Administration to verify eligibility. Request must include employee name, employee number, and estimated date of retirement. (Your estimated retirement date should not be more than 2 years from the request research date.) Contact information for Benefits Administration can be found on the Contact Us page.

Eligible children include:

• children up to age 26;
• disabled children who meet the disability standards of the plan(s) and who have been enrolled prior to age nineteen (19) or, who were first enrolled as eligible full-time students prior to the disabling condition, may continue to be covered beyond age nineteen (19);
• children of domestic partners whom the retiree has adopted or has been declared legal guardian (must be registered with the State of California); or
• court-ordered children who are included in the retiree’s tax return.

EPO & HMO	HMO & Seniority Plus	Medicare Preferred PPO
HMO & Senior Advantage	HI: Big Island, Oahu, Maui	NW: Oregon, Washington

There is no out-of-country coverage.

The Anthem Blue Cross HMO plan is available to most California residents. The Anthem Blue Cross EPO plan is available in all states.

The Anthem Medicare Preferred (PPO) Medical plan is offered to members who are over the age of 65 with Medicare Parts A and B. This 50 state Medicare plan includes enhanced benefits such as no copays, no coinsurance, no deductiles, and offers the same benefits whether you use an in-network or out-of-network provider that accepts Medicare.

The Kaiser HMO plan is available to most California residents. The Kaiser Senior Advantage plan is available in California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.

The Health Net HMO and Seniority Plus plans are available to most California residents.

All medical plans are available in certain zip codes only.  Contact each plan directly for specific coverage area.

Changing Doctors
Retirees may contact their plan directly to receive information on electing a different medical provider.

Contact information for each provider can be found on the Benefit Providers page.

DHMO	PPO	DHMO & Plan Plus

There is no out-of-country coverage.

Both EyeMed and VSP allow for in-network and out-of-network providers.

Please note that enrolling in a vision plan is a two-year commitment. If a vision plan is elected in 2018 (to take effect January 2019), eligibility to change plans is not available until 2020 (for the plan to take effect January 2021).

Changing Dentists and/or Optometrists
Retirees may contact their plan directly to receive information on electing a different dental and/or vision provider.

Contact information for each provider can be found on the Benefit Providers page.

Employees must contact Benefits Administration and their retirement system, CalPERS or CalSTRS, at least 3 months prior to their retirement date to complete the following requirements:

• Apply for retirement through their retirement system.

• Complete the HI-22 Application for Continuation of Health Benefits form and return to Benefits Administration. (Form found under the Related Documents tab at the end of this page.)

• Enroll in Medicare if eligible.

• Provide a copy of the Notice of Benefit Approval from CalPERS or the Award Letter from CalSTRS to Benefits Administration. (Notice will be mailed home by CalPERS or CalSTRS).

• Submit a resignation form to Certificated HR, for Certificated employees, or Personnel Commission, for Classified employees, with retirement effective date.

Employees may change plans at the time of retirement. New plans will be effective the first of the following month after retirement date. Employees may indicate new plan choice on the HI-22 Application for Continuation of Health Benefits form. (Form found under the Related Documents tab at the end of this page.)

After retirement, changing health plans is permissible only during the District’s annual Open Enrollment period typically held in November for changes to take effect the first of January of the following year.

Mid-year plan changes can only be made because of a qualifying Major Life Event or if moving out of the provider’s service area.

If moving out of California, employees must contact Benefits Administration for benefit plan availability in the new area and must complete the Out of Area Enrollment form found in the Related Documents tab at the end of this page.

Click here for more information.

To view related retiree or Medicare-related documents, please visit the "District Retirees" and/or "Medicare" sections of the Forms and Publications page.