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Retiree Health Benefits Eligibility
  • Retiree Eligibility

    Employees must be eligible or enrolled in District-sponsored health benefits and be in paid status on the selected retirement date.

    Check out the Retirement Benefits Checklist for information and tips or reach out to the Benefits Administration.

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

    Teacher Assistants and Playground Aides are not eligible for District-sponsored retirement 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-sponsored retiree health benefits. If you stop your monthly payments, you will lose your District-sponsored benefits.

    If employees and/or their spouses are age 65 or older at the time of retirement, there are additional Medicare requirements. For more information, please see the Medicare page.

Employees must meet the following requirements:

    • 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.
    • Employees belonging to the bargaining units represented by AALA and SEIU and hired on or after July 1, 2018, must have years of qualifying service and age equal at least 87 with a minimum of 30 consecutive years of qualifying* service with the District immediately prior to retirement.
    • Employees belonging to the bargaining unit represented by CSEA and hired on or after September 1, 2018, must have years of qualifying service and age equal at least 87 with a minimum of 30 consecutive years of qualifying* service with the District 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.

  • form

    Need help? Complete HBA1 Retirement Eligibility Verification Form within 24 months of estimated retirement date. You will receive a written response from Benefits Administration within 90 days indicating if you qualify for retiree health benefits or not. Form can be found in the Forms/Publications page.
  • Dependent Eligibility

    Spouse: copy of marriage certificate issued by the State.  For new spouses, if a registered marriage certificate is received within 45 days of the marriage date, spouse will be covered effective the date of the marriage.

    Domestic Partner: refer to the "Domestic Partner Information, Declaration, and Enrollment (Retiree)" packet found in the Retiree Forms section on the Forms/Publications page.

     

    Eligible children include:

    • children up to the age limit (refer to the tables below). For the age limit, coverage extends only to the last day of the birth month, not the full year;
    • dependent disabled children must meet the disability standards of your medical plan and must be enrolled prior to age twenty-six (26);
    • 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.

     

    *Student verification of dependent children ages 19 to 25: Student verification is required every Spring (typically March) for coverage from May through September. Student verification is also required every Fall (typically August) for coverage from October through April. To be considered a student, a dependent must be enrolled in at least eight (8) units per quarter/semester at an accredited college, university, or trade school.

Retirees Under 65

  • Note: dependent coverage terminates on the last day of the birthdate month.

Retirees Over 65

  • Note: dependent coverage terminates on the last day of the birthdate month.