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Retirees

Open Enrollment

Thursday, Oct. 31 at 8 a.m. to Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, at 5 p.m.

Download the Open Enrollment packet for California retirees
Download the Open Enrollment booklet for retirees outside California

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retirees

Medical plans: Changes and choices

Medical costs are increasing — nationwide and at UC. To keep your costs as low as possible, UC’s funding will increase by $198 million for 2025. 

Despite this additional funding, some premium contributions and cost-sharing amounts for retirees will increase in 2025.

Take time to review and compare all plan cost changes to determine if staying in your current plan is the best choice for you. If you want to maintain your current benefits, then no action is required. 

On this page:

Medicare plan changes for 2025

  • Premiums are increasing for most of UC’s Medicare plans. 
  • Office visit copay changes:
    • The copay for office visits will increase from $20 to $30 for office visits for Kaiser Senior Advantage and UC Medicare Choice.
    • The copay for Kaiser Senior Advantage group mental health visits will increase from $10 to $15. 
  • Prescription drug coverage changes:
    • Copays will increase by $5 for a 30-day supply across all tiers for Kaiser Senior Advantage and UC Medicare Choice
    • Copays will increase by $5-$15 for a 30-day supply across Tiers 1-3 for UC Medicare PPO and UC High Option to Medicare. 
    • Under the UC Medicare Choice Plan, specialty drugs will be dispensed with no more than a 30-day supply at a time.
    • Inflation Reduction Act provisions for 2025 will cap the out-of-pocket prescription drug cost limit at $2,000 for Medicare Part D members, eliminate the coverage gap phase (or the “donut hole”), and introduce an option to pay for prescription costs in monthly installments. 
  • Fitness benefit changes:
    • UC Medicare Choice members will receive fitness benefits through Silver Sneakers (instead of Renew Active).
    • Kaiser Senior Advantage members will have access to fitness benefits through One Pass.
  • UC Medicare Choice members will have 24/7 virtual access to medical providers through Amwell, Doctors on Demand, and Teladoc, replacing 24/7 Nurse Support.

Non-Medicare medical plan changes for 2025

PPO plan changes

  • For UC Care, copays will increase from $20 to $30 for outpatient visits in UC Select/Tier 1 and urgent care in Anthem Preferred/Tier 2.
  • Prescription drug copays will increase by $5-$15 for UC Care, Tiers 1-3.
  • For UC Health Savings Plan:
    • Accolade Care telehealth visits will have a $30 charge, which will be applied to the deductible.
    • The in-network deductible is increasing to $1,650 and $3,300 for self and family coverage, respectively.
    • Health Savings Account contribution limits are increasing to $4,300 for self-coverage and $8,550 for family coverage.

HMO plan changes

  • UC Blue & Gold HMO and Kaiser HMO will cover doula services with no copay, for up to 11 visits per pregnancy.
  • The Kaiser HMO network will expand into Monterey County.
Cost-sharing increases
  • Office visit copays will increase from $20 to $30 for UC Blue & Gold HMO, Kaiser HMO, and Optum Behavioral Health. Kaiser group mental health visits are increasing from $10 to $15.
  • Prescription drug copays will increase by $5-$10 for a 30-day supply on existing tiers for UC Blue & Gold HMO and by $5 for a 30-day supply on existing tiers for Kaiser HMO.
  • There will be a new specialty drug tier with 30% coinsurance, up to $150 per prescription, for UC Blue & Gold HMO and Kaiser HMO.
  • Optum, which offers behavioral health coverage for Kaiser members (in addition to Kaiser’s coverage), is increasing its emergency room copay to $125 to align with Kaiser’s current copay.

Medical plans for Medicare retirees

Need help deciding?

Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage HMO UC High Option Supplement to Medicare Anthem Blue Cross Medicare Supplement PPO UC Medicare Choice PPO UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage PPO UC Medicare PPO Anthem Blue Cross Medicare Supplement PPO UC Medicare PPO without Prescription Drugs Anthem Blue Cross Medicare Supplement PPO Medicare Coordinator Program For Medicare-eligible retirees who live outside California

Medical plans for non-Medicare retirees

Need help deciding?

CORE PPO Anthem Blue Cross high-deductible PPO Kaiser HMO Kaiser Permanente HMO UC Care PPO Anthem Blue Cross PPO with choice of provider tiers UC Health Savings Plan PPO Anthem Blue Cross PPO paired with a Health Savings Account UC Blue & Gold HMO Health Net HMO with access to UC Health and other quality providers

Enroll or make changes

Oct. 31 – Nov. 22, 2024

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