If you will be turning 65 soon, you are probably confused as to what will change for you and what you need to do.
We’d first like to clarify a misconception about signing up for Medicare.  Now that state retirees of Medicare age have the UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plan as their insurance coverage, some retirees have heard they don’t need to sign up for anything, they will automatically be switched to Medicare.  You do need to sign up for Medicare Parts A and B, and then you will automatically be switched to the UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plan.  You do not need to sign up for the Medicare Advantage Plan.
If you are retired and turning 65, you need to sign up for Medicare Parts A and B.  To sign up for Medicare Parts A and B you can go online to www.medicare.gov, visit a Social Security office, or call them on the phone to speak with a representative at 1-800-772-1213.
You can enroll in Medicare during the seven-month period that begins three months before the month you turn 65. Coverage can start as early as the month of your 65th birthday. If you don't sign up during this initial enrollment period, you will be charged higher premiums for the rest of your life – so it is critical that you sign up during that period for Medicare Parts A and B.  If you do end up paying the higher amount because you didn’t sign up during the seven month period, the State will not reimburse you for that additional penalty.
After you sign up you will receive your Medicare card.  Because you will be on a Medicare Advantage insurance plan, you will not need to carry your Medicare card with you to give to doctors or your pharmacy.  Make a copy of it to send to the Retirement Division, then you can file it away in a safe place, with your Social Security card.
Medicare Part A is no charge, but you will need to pay for Medicare Part B, and you will be reimbursed for it by the State.  There are two ways to pay for your Medicare Part B.  If you are already collecting your Social Security benefit, it will automatically be deducted from your monthly SS check.  If you are not collecting Social Security yet, you will be billed quarterly. When you receive your notification from Social Security of how much you will be paying,  you need to make a copy of that and send that, along with the copy of your Medicare card, to the Retiree Health Insurance Unit so they can reimburse you for that amount.  Not just for yourself, but for your spouse as well.  Send the copies to:
Retiree Health Insurance Unit
Office of the State Comptroller’s Office 165 Capitol Ave.
Hartford, CT 06106
  If you are able to attach it as a document in an email, you can send the copies by email to osc.rethealth@ct.gov.  That way you can verify that you sent it in.  We hear from people regularly that have sent them in, but they are not getting reimbursed at all, or not the correct amount.  Whether it gets lost in the mail, or at the office, if it is not received by the Retirement Division, they will not retroactively reimburse you.  Having verification that you sent it confirms the amount and the timeframe, so wehighly recommend sending it by email if possible or return receipt mail.
The basic amount for Part B for 2021 is $148.50, which is what most retirees will be paying.  If that is the amount you will pay, you don’t need to do anything further, the state will automatically adjust your reimbursement to that rate.  However, if you are notified by Social Security that you will be paying an amount different from $148.50, higher or lower, or that you are paying for Part D, then you will also need to send a copy of the bill or statement to not only the Retirement Division, but to United Healthcare as well.  They are processing the paperwork for all those paying a premium higher than the basic amount.  The address to send it to is:
UnitedHealthcare Benefits Services
PO Box 740221
Atlanta, GA 30374
 You can also email it as an attachment to DirectBill_KYOperations@uhc.com.  You can call 1-866-747-0048 to confirm they have received it.
We highly recommend checking your advice (what the Comptroller’s Office refers to as your pay stub) regularly so you know the amount you are being reimbursed.  Since they no longer send out monthly advices, you will need to go online to review it at the Retiree Portal at https://retirees.ct.gov, or you can call them to have one sent to you at 860-702-3480, which will bring you to a menu – press “6” to leave a message to request a copy of the retiree direct deposit advice.
If you turn 65 and go onto the plan, but your spouse is not yet 65, they will continue with their current insurance provider until they turn 65 and sign up for Medicare Parts A and B.  Your dependents aged 26 and younger will also remain on the Anthem plan, even if you move onto the United Healthcare plan.
If you turn 65 and are still working, you absolutely need to sign up for Medicare Part A, but do not sign up for Part B until you actually retire.