Retiree Medical
Retiree Medical Eligible retirees who are under the age of 65 are covered through plans that are parallel to the college’s plans for active employees. Currently, those include a traditional PPO plan and a High Deductible plan (The college does not make a contribution to health savings accounts for retirees or spouses.) Eligible employees who are 65 or older are covered through a Medigap plan that is secondary to Medicare, thus all retirees 65 and older are required to be registered in Medicare in order to participate in the college’s Retiree Medical benefit.
This Retiree Medical benefit plan does not include coverage for dental or vision benefits.
Retiree Medical Eligibility
The Davidson College retiree medical benefits requires employees to have been hired before October 1, 2016, be age 60 or older with at least 10 years of service, and enroll immediately upon retirement to cover themselves and their spouse.
It is important that you carefully read the following eligibility requirements, coverage options and coverage limitations.
Primary Eligibility Requirements
| Criteria | Requirement |
| Hire Date | Must have started in a full-time, regular position working 40 hours per week on or before October 1, 2016 |
| Age at Retirement | Must be 60 years or older |
| Years of Service | Must have at least 10 years of continuous full-time service immediately preceding retirement |
| Employment Status | Must work in position budgeted for at least 40 hours per week year-round |
| Prior Coverage | Must be enrolled in active Davidson medical plan immediately before retirement |
| Election Timing | Must elect coverage immediately upon retirement |
Coverage Options By Age
| Age Group | Coverage Type |
| Under 65 | PPO plan or High Deductible plan (parallel to active employee plans) |
| 65 and Older | Medigap plan (secondary to Medicare) - Medicare enrollment required and the Davidson sponsored plan is secondary |
Eligible Dependents
| Relationship | Eligibility |
| Spouse | Eligible (spouse at the time of retirement) |
| Future Spouse | Not eligible (if married after retirement) |
| Dependent Children and Domestic Partners | Not eligible |
Coverage Limitations
| Benefit Type | Included |
| Medical | Yes |
| Dental | No |
| Vision | No |
| HSA Contribution | No (for High Deductible plan) |
Important Restrictions
One-Time Elections: If you don’t elect coverage immediately upon retirement, you lose eligibility forever.
No Re-entry: Once coverage ends for any reason, you cannot rejoin the plan.
Continuous Coverage: Must maintain premium payments to keep coverage.
The Medicare 6-Month Rule: If you enroll in Medicare Part A after age 65, your coverage is backdated up to six months (but not before age 65), invalidating your HSA eligibility for those months; you must stop HSA contributions at least six months before applying for Medicare or Social Security to avoid penalties, as contributions during retroactive periods are considered excess and taxed, so plan to stop contributing by the month you turn 65 if you'll be enrolling then.
Termination of Coverage
Coverage under the Davidson College Retiree Medical benefit for a Davidson College retiree will terminate when the retiree fails to pay premiums, when the retiree voluntarily withdraws from coverage, or when the retiree dies.
If the retiree dies before the spouse, coverage for the spouse will continue.
Coverage for a spouse of a Davidson College retiree will terminate when the retiree and spouse divorce when the spouse voluntarily withdraws from coverage, when the spouse’s premiums are unpaid, or when the spouse dies.
A retiree or spouse covered on the plan cannot leave and come back into the plan. Once coverage under this benefit ends for a retiree or spouse for any reason, that person is no longer eligible for coverage under the plan.
Retiree Health Insurance Costs
The cost the retiree pays for health insurance is based on years of continuous college service at retirement. This cost is not frozen and changes in accordance with insurance rates. Effective January 1, 2010, the college's contribution to retiree health insurance is capped at a fixed amount of $325 per month for single coverage and $540 per month for retiree and spouse. No family coverage is available through the college's Retiree Medical Plan.
Pre-65 Rate Calculation
| Years of Continuous Full-Time Service | Cost of Coverage |
|---|---|
| Less than 10 years | No Coverage Available |
| At least 10 but less than 20 years | Twice active employee rate plus excess cost above college contribution |
| At least 20 years | Active employee rate plus excess cost above college contribution |
Note: The sliding scale above is not applicable to a regular full-time employee whose age was 60 or above on January 1, 1996. Those employees may retire with the health insurance premium frozen at the rate paid on the retirement date.
2026 Rates
Under 65 Retirees, Blue Options - Broad Network PPO
| Plan Type | 10-20 Years of Service | Over 20 Years of Service |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Only | $637.75 | $637.75 |
| Employee + Spouse | $1,578.08 | $1,578.08 |
Under 65 Retirees, Blue Options - High Deductible Health Plan (HDP# 1) $3,400
| Plan Type | 10-20 Years of Service | Over 20 Years of Service |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Only | $241.83 | $241.83 |
| Employee + Spouse | $694.52 | $694.52 |
Under 65 Retirees, Blue Options - High Deductible Health Plan (HDP# 2) $1,700
| Plan Type | 10-20 Years of Service | Over 20 Years of Service |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Only | $352.40 | $352.40 |
| Employee + Spouse | $950.27 | $950.27 |
One Spouse Over, One Spouse Under 65
| Plan Type | 10-20 Years of Service | Over 20 Years of Service |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Options - Broad Network PPO (Employee + Spouse) |
$1,078.72 | $808.40 |
| Blue Options High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) $1,700 (Employee + Spouse) |
$761.98 | $412.48 |
| Blue Options High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) $3,400 (Employee + Spouse) |
$850.44 | $523.05 |
Medicare Supplement Plan for Retiree Age 65 - Amwins
| Plan Type | 10-20 Years of Service | Over 20 Years of Service |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Only | $154.26 | $77.13 |
| Employee + Spouse | $617.04 | $308.52 |
Please note: The college does not make a contribution to health savings accounts for retirees.
Contacts
AMWINS (Administrator for Retirees OVER 65) Vendor Information
888-883-3757
Transamerica (Insurance provider for Retirees OVER 65)
800-854-0186
Express Scripts (Retiree Prescription Plan)
888-345-2560
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Effective January 1, 2022
877-224-3305
Plan Administrator
Davidson College
Updated 12-2022