Retiree Health Plans

If your employer has made contributions on your behalf for your retirement benefits, you and your spouse may be eligible for TeamCare Retiree Health Plan coverage.

To qualify, you must meet the TeamCare active plan contribution requirement. On your eligibility date, you must have at least 40 weeks of active TeamCare contributions for a plan that includes retiree coverage in each of the last five years, or at least 40 weeks of active TeamCare contributions in at least seven out of the last 10 years immediately preceding the eligibility date. In most cases, you must have worked for at least 20 years under a recognized Collective Bargaining Agreement.

You and/or your spouse may elect, on a one-time basis, to postpone your Retiree Health Plan coverage to a later date, provided you have other health insurance coverage.

To postpone coverage at retirement or to suspend your current Retiree Health Plan coverage:

• Complete a Retiree Health Plan Postponement Form found in Forms & Documents, and return it to TeamCare.

• Provide proof of other health insurance coverage, such as a letter of HIPAA Certification of Continuous Coverage, or a copy of your 1095-B.

Once approved, we will postpone you and/or your spouse’s coverage and monthly contribution payment as appropriate. All coverage will cease at the end of the month in which the postponement form is approved. Your coverage and monthly premium payment will remain suspended until you request to begin coverage again.

To reactivate your coverage after postponement, you must complete a Retiree Health Plan Reinstatement Form found in Forms & Documents, and return it to TeamCare. You must also provide Proof of Insurance for the period you received other health coverage. This proof can be submitted in the form of a letter, or a HIPAA Certification of Continuous Coverage from your insurance company or employer.

Your Retiree Health Plan coverage ends on one of the following, whichever is earliest:

• The date you first became eligible for Medicare, even if you do not enroll in Medicare Part B.
• The first of the month during which you stop paying your monthly premium.
• The date you become covered by another TeamCare plan because you returned to work.
• The date you lose Retiree Health Plan eligibility because of a voluntary withdrawal by your former employer. A voluntary withdrawal occurs whenever an employer opts to no longer contribute to a TeamCare plan which includes retiree coverage.

Your spouse becomes eligible for the Retiree Health Plan when your eligibility starts. If you get married after your coverage starts, your spouse’s coverage will begin on the date of your marriage, as long as you are still eligible. Within 60 days of marriage, you are required to complete the Retiree New Spouse Coverage Request Form found in Forms & Documents, provide a copy of your marriage certificate, and pay your monthly premium.

Your spouse’s coverage under the Retiree Health Plan ends on one of the following, whichever is earliest:

• The date of your spouse’s 65th birthday
• The date your spouse becomes eligible for Medicare, even if your spouse doesn’t enroll in Medicare Part B.
• The date your coverage terminates for any reason other than death or commencement of eligibility for Medicare benefits.
• The date of divorce.
• The date you become covered by another TeamCare plan because you returned to work.
• For Retiree Health Plan R4, three years from the date you turn 65 or three years from your retirement date if you retire after 65.
• The date you lose Retiree Health Plan eligibility due to a voluntary withdrawal by your former employer. A voluntary withdrawal occurs whenever an employer opts to no longer contribute to a TeamCare plan, which includes retiree coverage.

Some plans provide eligibility for dependent children. If you or your spouse are eligible for either Retiree Health Plan RU or RV, your child can be covered up to age 19, or to age 25, if they are a qualified, full-time student or are mentally and permanently physically disabled.

Your dependent’s coverage under the Retiree Health Plan RU and RV ends on one of the following, whichever is earliest:

• The date your child becomes eligible for Medicare, even if they don’t enroll in Medicare Part B. 
• The date you become covered by another TeamCare plan because you returned to work.
• The first month you or your spouse stop paying the monthly contribution for coverage.
• The date you and your spouse are no longer eligible.
• The date your coverage terminates for any reason other than death or commencement of eligibility for Medicare benefits.
• The date you lose your Retiree Health Plan eligibility as a result of a voluntary withdrawal by your employer from TeamCare, either before or after retirement.
• The date your child turns 19, or the day they turn 25 if they are no longer a qualified, full-time student or mentally and permanently physically disabled.

TeamCare and Humana have partnered to offer Medicare-eligible retirees the option of a Medicare Advantage health plan designed for Teamsters.

TeamCareAdvantage supplements a medical and prescription benefits plan better than Medicare alone for qualified Central States Pension retirees who have met their age and service requirement.

This plan:

• Combines Medicare Part A (hospital benefits), Part B (physician and medical services), and Part D (prescription drug benefits) into a complete benefits package.
• Offers extra benefits and services, including access to fitness centers, vision, and dental discounts, emergency coverage around the world, and Humana Active Outlook, a health program delivered with a monthly magazine.
• Has virtually no paperwork for you to file, since your provider submits all claims to Humana.
• Allows you to select any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare.

To enroll in any Medicare Advantage Plan, you must be enrolled in Medicare Part B. Part B covers physicians and medical services, and requires separate premiums paid to Medicare. The Part B premium is deducted from your Social Security check.

TeamCareGold is a supplemental medical and prescription benefits plan that offers more medical and prescription benefit than offered by Medicare alone. Gold plans are priced below or at the market value compared to similar Humana plans in your area.

Additional benefits and services available to you through TeamCareGold include:

• A fitness membership with access to more than 13,000 locations nationwide
• Emergency coverage worldwide
• Humana’s personal health coaching

Once you are enrolled in TeamCareGold, your provider will submit all of your healthcare claims to Humana. With TeamCareGold, there is virtually no paperwork for you to file and you only work with one health insurance company.

For more information, browse the TeamCareGold or TeamCareAdvantage brochures. If you have any questions, please contact:

Humana
1-800-733-9064
Monday-Friday
8 a.m. - 9 p.m. EST

Medicare
1-800-633-4227
medicare.gov

Remember, you can always get help by logging in to the Message Center and sending a message to one of our Benefits Specialists.