Retiree Health Benefits

2025 Annual Benefits Open Enrollment

Dartmouth's Annual 2025 Open enrollment period will run from October 21, 2024 to November 4, 2024.  If you were already enrolled in retiree health coverage in calendar year 2024, then your coverage will continue into 2025.

For more information about the benefit plans and what is changing in 2025, please click on the appropriate link below:

Pre-65 Retiree Health Plan Information - These plans include covered dependents under the age of 65. This Retiree Guide also includes helpful information about your options.
Post-65 Retiree Health Plan Information - This plan includes covered dependents age 65 and older.  This letter provides helpful information for your 2024 Open Enrollment.

If you or an eligible dependent lost or gained non-Dartmouth health care coverage during the 2024 calendar year, you may be eligible to complete a qualified life event.  Please reach out to the Benefits Office to discuss this further. 

NOTE: You must contact the benefits office within 30 days of the coverage gain or loss to complete the life event; 603-646-3588 or Human.Resources.Benefits@Dartmouth.edu.

Already Retired from Dartmouth?

If you have already retired from Dartmouth and are looking for information about your 2024 retiree health plan, please click on the appropriate link below:

Pre-65 Retiree Health Plan Information - These plans include covered dependents under the age of 65
Post-65 Retiree Health Plan Information - This plan includes covered dependents age 65 and older

Considering Retirement

If you are an active benefits eligible employee who is over the age of 55 and have at least ten consecutive years* of service in a benefits eligible position immediately prior to retirement, you may be eligible to continue health insurance through Dartmouth College.

*Note: When an employee has one or more breaks in benefit-eligible service and each break is one year or less, thebreak(s) will not prevent eligibility for retiree benefits. The breaks will be ignored when determining "consecutive" years of service, but the length of each break will not be counted as service. An interruption in benefit-eligible service lasting more than one year will break an employee's years of consecutive service.

My Spouse is turning age 65 but I will continue working

You  may continue to cover your medicare eligible spouse on your Cigna health plan for as long as you continue to work in a benefits eligible position and carry their health insurance.  If you do so, they will not be penalized for a late enrollment.  Your spouse may enroll in Medicare part A, which will work as a secondary hospital coverage to your active Cigna plan. There is no cost to enroll in Medicare part A.  Once you stop working, your spouse will need to enroll in Medicare part B, to which there is a  cost.  If you are eligible for a subsidy toward Dartmouth's Retiree Health plans, you will need to decide whether it is more cost effective to your spouse to Dartmouth's Medicare Supplemental Plan, which includes Part D pharmacy coverage, or if it is more cost effective to take an external Medicare gap/advantage plan with Medicare part D for pharmacy.

Cost of Medical Coverage

Individuals hired into a benefit-eligible position prior to July 1, 2009 may receive a Dartmouth College subsidy toward his or her individual medical premiums. The current subsidy is calculated based on the single coverage cost of the Open Access Plan for retirees under age 65, or the DCMS Plan for Medicare eligible retirees.

Covering Dependents

Retirees who elect coverage under a Dartmouth medical plan may also elect coverage for a spouse and/or dependent children. The eligibility criteria for covering a spouse or children under the retiree medical plans are the same as the eligibility criteria for coverage under the active employee medical plans. Dependents must be eligible at the time of the employee's retirement date in order to be eligible for retiree medical coverage. Plan coverage will depend on the age of the member. Ex: A spouse age 65 or over will have access to the DCMS plan, even if the retired employee is not Medicare eligible.

When to set up a Meeting with the Benefits Office

If you are eligible for Dartmouth's retiree benefits, schedule an appointment 3-4 Months prior to your official retirement date, to meet with a Benefits representative and learn about your retiree health coverage, learn how to get your retiree ID card, and to complete the necessary form(s) to enroll or waive coverage. The Benefits office is not able to meet more than 3-4 months prior to your official date.  To set up a meeting or to ask general questions, please contact the benefits office by calling 603-646-3588 or at human.resources.benefits@dartmouth.edu 

When to Elect Medical Coverage

You will begin the process 3-4 months prior to your official retirement date.  If the employee elects coverage elsewhere and therefore declines Dartmouth retiree coverage, he/she retains the option to rejoin the Dartmouth plan either within 30 days of the loss of the other coverage or during Dartmouth's annual Open Enrollment period. Medicare eligible members would be required to contact Medicare three months prior to retirement to set up their Medicare Part A & Part B plans. Once the Medicare card is received, a copy must be sent to the Benefits Office, within 45 days prior to their coverage effective date, to be enrolled on time. The DCMS plan coverage should coincide with the Medicare Part B plan. Contact the Dartmouth Benefits Office at that time to confirm enrollment in the DCMS plan.

Turning Age 65

Deciding whether to enroll in Medicare.

I plan to continue working past age 65:

What you need to know if you are currently working and turning age 65

• Dartmouth employees and their eligible dependents can continue to be covered on the active Dartmouth health plan until the primary subscriber (the Dartmouth employee) retires.
• You do not need to enroll in Medicare Part B (out-patient medical insurance) or Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage) at this time if you continue working. Medicare allows you to delay yourenrollment as long as you have Creditable Coverage through your employer or yourspouse's employer. Note: COBRA coverage is not considered Creditable Coverage by Medicare.
• IMPORTANT: Enrollment in Medicare Part A at this time is optional. However, you cannot contributeto a Health Savings Account (HSA) if you are enrolled in any part of Medicare or Social Security. To avoid a penalty, you should stop contributing to your HSA at least 6 months before you enroll in any part of Medicare or Social Security. Please see the Medicare & You booklet for additional details.

I plan to retire soon:

• I am eligible for Dartmouth Retiree health coverage:
  • • To be eligible for Dartmouth College retiree health coverage in retirement you must be at least age 55 and have at least ten consecutive years of service in a benefits-eligible position immediately before retiring.
• Print and review a copy of the Medicare Supplemental Plan, Enrollment Checklist. Add the reminders to your outlook calendar.
  
  • Review the Medicare Enrollment FAQ
• I am not eligible for Dartmouth retiree health coverage:
  • Contact Social Security 3 months before your last day of work to enroll in Medicare Part B (and Part A if you have not already done so) for you and any Medicare-eligible members of your household currently covered on your Dartmouth health plan.
  • You can find additional information about Medicare on the Medicare.gov website.
  • Visit the Leaving Dartmouth webpage for information about how your benefits will be affected when you retire.

I retired prior to turning age 65:

• What you need to know if you are turning age 65 but have already retired from Dartmouth.

Monthly Premiums & Billing

Monthly Premiums

Your Retiree Health premium pays for your Non-Medicare Pre-65 medical plan, or your DCMS plan and the base premium for your Medicare Part D plan. If you are a Dartmouth Retiree meeting the basic eligibility requirements for the Dartmouth College Retiree Health plan, you may receive a subsidy from Dartmouth College toward your Retiree Health premium, based on age and years of benefit-eligible service.  Your specific subsidy percentage would have been communicated to you in a letter from the Benefits Office at the time that subsidy percentage was calculated. If you need to confirm your subsidy percentage, please contact the Benefits Office.

Monthly Billing

Once you are enrolled in a Dartmouth retiree health plan, you will begin receiving a monthly invoice from Dartmouth College for any unsubsidized portion of your household retiree medical insurance costs. If you do not owe a premium, you will not receive an invoice.  If you have questions about your billing, please contact Accounts Receivable at Accounts.Receivable@dartmouth.edu or (603) 646-3899.

Billing Address:
Dartmouth College
Accounts Receivable
6132 McNutt Hall, Room 103
Hanover, NH  03755

The Accounts Receivable office does not accept credit or debit cards, payments over the phone or online. A/R office hours are 8AM-12PM and 1PM to 4PM Monday-Friday.

Wellness Benefit Options for Retirees

Retirees, enrolled on a Dartmouth-sponsored medical plan, have access to a $225 Fitness Reimbursement Benefit. Retirees must submit the benefit form and receipt(s) directly to Cigna and the reimbursement, up to $225, will be provided via a check mailed to the retiree's home address. Access additional details, including the Benefit Form. 

Please note: employees who retire mid-year will continue with their current wellness benefit election through the end of the calendar year; the Fitness Reimbursement Benefit will be the only available wellness benefit option available during Open Enrollment for the following calendar. 

Expiration of Other Benefits

COBRA

As a Dartmouth Retiree you can elect to continue your dental plan and/or flexible spending account (FSA) through the Federal COBRA program if you are a participating member of those plans at the time of your retirement.  Sentinel Benefits is Dartmouth's contracted COBRA manager and will contact you shortly after you retire to invite you to continue these benefits through them.  Premiums are paid directly to Sentinel Benefits, to continue the elected benefits.  

Continuing Your Life Insurance

Your life insurance as an active employee is a term life policy that ends on the last day of the month in which you retire.

Lincoln Financial will mail a packet of information to your home, giving you the option to either port or convert your voluntary and dependent life insurance benefits.  For more information about this, please visit the Leaving Dartmouth webpage.

Expiration of Email Accounts

Your Dartmouth Email account will expire within 30 days from the date of your retirement.  Additional details and help.  If you are granted an Emeritus designation your Email account will remain active.