Dental, vision, life and flexible spending account
Regardless of your age at retirement you can continue these benefits at your own expense:
- Dental insurance for as long as you want
- Vision insurance for up to 18 months
- Life insurance for up to 18 months
- Flexible spending account – health care expense account to the end of the plan year
Process
- You’ll receive a packet from 121 Benefits, the county’s COBRA administrator
- Mark the election form with your benefit choices
- Sign the form
- Send the signed form and a check for the first month’s cost to 121 Benefits
- Continue to send monthly payments to 121 Benefits
Health insurance: retiring at age 65 or older
If you retire at age 65 or older you can’t continue your health insurance with the county.
You have the option of buying a Medicare supplement plan. The county sponsors a Medicare supplement plan through HealthPartners called the Freedom Plan. If you enroll in the Freedom Plan, your spouse can also enroll in that plan, if your spouse is at least 65 and is covered by a county health plan. Call 952-883-7428 and mention Hennepin County. For information about other Medicare supplement plans call Senior Linkage Line at 1-800-333-2433.
Your spouse, if under age 65, can continue with the county’s health plan so long as they’re on the employee health plan at the time you retire.
The premium is the full premium plus 2%:
- Standard: $831.87 per month
- Advantage: HealthPartners/Park Nicolle or Fairview/North Memorial/HealthEast = $764.65 per month
- Advantage: HCMC/NorthPoint = $710.93 per month
Your spouse can stay on the county's plan either up to 36 months or until age 65, if you're enrolled in the county-sponsored Freedom Plan through HealthPartners.
Health insurance: retiring before age 65
- If you retire while under age 65 and meet other criteria, you can receive a county contribution toward the cost of your health insurance as if you are still working
- The county contribution applies to the employee-only portion, and not for the cost of any dependents
- The county contribution lasts until the end of the month you turn 65
To qualify for early retiree health insurance, you must meet all three of these:
1. You must be under age 65
2. You must belong to one of these groups with no break in service:
- Non-union regular employees hired or rehired on or before January 1, 2007
- Union regular employees hired or rehired on or before January 1, 2008 and did not opt-out of early retiree health coverage
- Unclassified employees hired or rehired on or before January 1, 2007
- Elected officials who took office on or before January 1, 2007
3. You must meet one of these:
a. You are:
- At least age 55 with 20 years of service
- At least age 62 with 15 years of service
- At least age 63 with 14 years of service
- At least age 64 with 13 years of service
b. You’ve been approved for a full retirement payment from a public retirement plan (like PERA) based on at least 10 years with the county. An example is the Rule of 90.
c. You’ve been approved for a retirement payment from a public retirement plan (like PERA) based on at least 25 years of pension credit (time that counts toward earning retirement benefits), at least 10 of those with the county
Employee-only monthly cost
Health insurance - with county contribution
- Standard: $90
- Advantage: Fairview/North Memorial/HealthEast = $56.86
- Advantage: HealthPartners/Park Nicollet = $56.86
- Advantage: HCMC/NorthPoint = $23.72
Health insurance - you pay full cost
- Standard: $815.56
- Advantage: Fairview/North Memorial/HealthEast = $749.66
- Advantage: HealthPartners/Park Nicollet = $749.66
- Advantage: HCMC/NorthPoint = $696.99
Other insurance costs
- Dental insurance: $41.08
- Vision insurance: $5.33
- Life insurance: $3.67 per month for a basic life plan of $30,000 coverage. For supplemental insurance, refer to your packet from 121 Benefits.
- Flexible spending account – health care expense account: You can continue with post-tax dollars
Employee and spouse monthly cost
If you’re already married and want to add your spouse to your insurance before you retire, you cannot do so unless it’s during open enrollment or if you have a life event before you retire.
Health insurance - with county contribution
- Standard: $1,190.94
- Advantage: Fairview/North Memorial/HealthEast = $1,068.88
- Advantage: HealthPartners/Park Nicollet = $1,068.88
- Advantage: HCMC/NorthPoint = $964.60
Health insurance - you pay full cost
- Standard: $1,916.50
- Advantage: Fairview/North Memorial/HealthEast = $1,761.68
- Advantage: HealthPartners/Park Nicollet = $1,761.68
- Advantage: HCMC/NorthPoint = $1,637.87
Other insurance costs
- Dental insurance: $91.91
- Vision insurance: $10.01
- Life insurance: $3.67 per month for a basic life plan of $30,000 coverage. For supplemental insurance, refer to your packet from 121 Benefits.
- Flexible spending account – health care expense account: You can continue with post-tax dollars
Employee and children monthly cost
Health insurance - with county contribution
- Standard: $742.44
- Advantage: Fairview/North Memorial/HealthEast = $656.59
- Advantage: HealthPartners/Park Nicollet = $656.59
- Advantage: HCMC/NorthPoint = $681.27
Health insurance - you pay full cost
- Standard: $1,468
- Advantage: Fairview/North Memorial/HealthEast = $1,349.39
- Advantage: HealthPartners/Park Nicollet = $1,349.39
- Advantage: HCMC/NorthPoint = $1,254.54
Other insurance costs
- Dental insurance: $91.91
- Vision insurance: $10.53
- Life insurance: $3.67 per month for a basic life plan of $30,000 coverage. For supplemental insurance, refer to your packet from 121 Benefits.
- Flexible spending account – health care expense account: You can continue with post-tax dollars
Family monthly cost
Health insurance - with county contribution
- Standard: $1,517.18
- Advantage: Fairview/North Memorial/HealthEast = $1,368.73
- Advantage: HealthPartners/Park Nicollet = $1,368.73
- Advantage: HCMC/NorthPoint = $1243.41
Health insurance - you pay full cost
- Standard: $2,242.74
- Advantage: Fairview/North Memorial/HealthEast = $2,061.53
- Advantage: HealthPartners/Park Nicollet = $2,061.53
- Advantage: HCMC/NorthPoint = $1,916.68
Other insurance costs
- Dental insurance: $91.91
- Vision insurance: $15.60
- Life insurance: $3.67 per month for a basic life plan of $30,000 coverage. For supplemental insurance, refer to your packet from 121 Benefits.
- Flexible spending account – health care expense account: You can continue with post-tax dollars