Enrolling in a Medicare plan
If you or a family member will become eligible for premium-free Medicare Part A in 2027, keep the corresponding Medicare plan in mind when you choose your non-Medicare plan. When you become eligible for Medicare, submit the appropriate Medicare assignment form to RASC to transition to that Medicare plan.
HealthSavings+ does not have a corresponding Medicare plan, so retirees enrolled in this plan will have a 31-day Period of Initial Eligibility (PIE) to select a Medicare plan when they become Medicare eligible. To make this change, you must submit a UBEN 100 form and the appropriate Medicare assignment form(s) to RASC.
| If you’re enrolled in | You’ll transfer to this Medicare plan when eligible |
|---|---|
| UC Care PPO | UC Medicare PPO (Anthem Blue Cross) |
| UC Blue & Gold HMO | UC Medicare Choice PPO (UnitedHealthcare) |
| Kaiser CA HMO | Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage (CA) |
| HealthSavings+ | No partner plan; Period of Initial Eligibility (PIE) to enroll in UC-sponsored Medicare plans in your service area |
Review your options carefully. The Medicare version or partner plan of your medical plan may have different benefits or service area, and not all providers accept Medicare. To learn more, contact the plan or visit its website, review the Medicare Fact Sheet and the “Enrolling in Medicare” page on UCnet (ucal.us/medicare) or call the UC Retirement Administration Service Center at 800-888-8267.
If you did not pay into Social Security or paid less than 40 quarters (10 years of full-time employment), you may not be eligible for Medicare and will remain in your non- Medicare plan as a retiree. However, you must send UC a Medicare denial letter before you turn age 65 to continue your UC coverage and to avoid any late penalties. Contact Social Security to request this letter and find out whether you may be eligible for Medicare under a spouse, former spouse or deceased spouse.
If you have some family members with Medicare coverage and others not currently eligible for Medicare, you’re considered a split Medicare family. You and the family members you cover must enroll in plans that work together. See Split or mixed Medicare families for more information.
You must be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B to enroll in a UC Medicare plan. If you did not pay into Social Security or have less than 40 quarters (less than 10 years of full-time employment), you may be ineligible for premium-free Medicare A. Contact Social Security to check if you may be eligible under a spouse, former spouse or deceased spouse. If you are ineligible for Medicare, you must provide a copy of the Medicare denial letter with a UBEN 100 to RASC so you can remain in your UC non-Medicare plan and avoid the UC Medicare offset penalties (currently $419.60/month) and termination of your medical coverage.
Read the Medicare Factsheet (PDF) for more information.
Avoid Medicare penalties
It’s very important that you enroll in Medicare as soon as you’re eligible to avoid penalties from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and UC. Beginning January 1, 2027, the UC Medicare administrative penalty will be $608.70 per month for UC retirees who fail to enroll in Medicare when they’re eligible, fail to assign Medicare to their Retiree Health coverage, or fail to maintain Medicare enrollment. Retirees who don’t assign Medicare to their UC-sponsored medical coverage by their next Medicare enrollment period will lose UC medical coverage.
Medicare Coordinator Program for Medicare retirees and survivors outside California
If you live in a U.S. state outside California or are considering a move, and all covered members of your family are 65 or older and eligible for Medicare, UC offers the Medicare Coordinator Program, a special program for your medical benefits. Read more about the Via Benefits Medicare Coordinator Program.