Planning for health coverage during retirement

Thinking now about your long-term health care is particularly important for life after retirement. When you begin drawing a retirement pension and your county-paid medical, dental and vision coverage ends, you and your covered dependents may purchase continued coverage under the county’s retiree medical plan. Many former employees use this plan to help bridge the gap between leaving county employment and reaching the qualifying age for Medicare.

If you qualify for retiree medical benefits, your options include medical and vision coverage, plus a dental plan that is different than the one you have as an active employee (see “Retiree dental benefits” to the right).
 
You can purchase the bronze, silver or gold level of medical coverage. The bronze level has the lowest premium but the highest out-of-pocket expense. The gold level has the highest premium, but the lowest out-of-pocket expense.

The table below shows the cost of medical and vision coverage for regular employees under the retiree medical plan in 2008. If you are a deputy sheriff or part-time transit operator, you will find your cost information under Health Benefit Rates for COBRA and Retiree Medical. Rates are subject to change each year.

Once you retire, you will need to make a decision about continuing coverage under retiree medical within 60 days after your county coverage ends or within 60 days from the date of the FBMC letter you receive notifying you of your options, whichever occurs later.

Regular Employees
Monthly cost for medical coverage

Medical Plan	You	Spouse/Domestic Partner
KingCare℠ Gold	2008 – $569.94	2008 – $520.91
KingCare℠ Silver	2008 – $521.00	2008 – $471.97
KingCare℠ Bronze	2008 – $484.95	2008 – $435.93
Group Health Gold	2008 – $395.91	2008 – $395.91
Group Health Silver	2008 – $371.94	2008 – $371.94
Group Health Bronze	2008 – $350.64	2008 – $350.64

Regular Employees
Monthly cost for vision coverage

Vision Plan	You	Spouse/Domestic Partner
Vision Service Plan	2008 – $13.31	2008 – $11.78

Retiree dental benefits

King County now offers a dental plan specifically for retirees. This dental plan allows you to seek dental care from any dentist within the WDS/Delta Dental Premier network or the WDS/Delta Dental PPO network. An advantage to this dental plan is that you can continue your coverage after you become eligible for Medicare, something you cannot do with your retiree medical plan. Rates are subject to change each year.

Regular Employees
Monthly cost for retiree dental coverage

2008 Retiree Dental Plan	You	Spouse / Domestic Partner	Dependent Child(ren)
Washington Dental Service	$56.01	$56.01	$52.33

For more information about retiree dental benefits, contact WDS at 800-554-1907 or read more in the King County Exit Guide.