Medicare

AACPS requires all participants in AACPS retiree benefits to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B when first eligible for Medicare in order to maintain medical and prescription benefits through AACPS.

If you do not enroll in Medicare Parts A and B as required, your AACPS medical and prescription benefits will be terminated.

This page will acquaint you with Medicare and tell you the specific steps you need to take to apply for Medicare coverage so that you don’t risk losing your AACPS benefits. You will find these steps under "Take Action" below. They include the requirement that you send a copy of your Medicare card with Parts A and B to the Retirement office at least 60 days prior to the effective date of your Medicare coverage.

What is Medicare?
Medicare is the U.S. federal government health insurance program. Medicare helps to pay for health-related expenses such as hospital stays, doctors’ visits, and more.

Medicare is divided into three main parts:

Part A provides hospitalization coverage, No premium (generally)

Part B provides standard medical coverage, Premium paid to the Social Security Administration

  • Enroll when first Medicare-eligible (unless you are covered under an active employee health plan)

  • If you and/or dependent are covered under the AACPS active employee health plan, enrollment in Medicare Part B may be deferred until you retire.

Part D provides prescription coverage

  • The AACPS-sponsored prescription plans for Medicare-eligible individuals are Part D prescription plans.  You do not need to take any action as AACPS will enroll you in the SilverScript Medicare Part D prescription plan.

More detailed information about Medicare and the type of coverage provided by each different part, please visit the Medicare website. 
 

Eligibility for Medicare Coverage
You and/or your dependent(s) are eligible for Medicare if you are:

  • age 65 (or over if you have been employed and covered by the AACPS active employee health plan), or

  • receive disability benefits from the Social Security Administration and are beginning the twenty-fifth month of entitlement, or

  • have End-Stage-Renal Disease (ESRD).

An individual is eligible for Medicare the first day of the month you turn 65 if you have not qualified for enrollment before the age of 65. If you will be 65 on the first day of the month, you will be eligible for Medicare the first day of the previous month.

Medicare and Your AACPS Medical Benefits
When you enroll in Medicare Parts A and B, your Medicare coverage becomes primary and your AACPS coverage becomes secondary.