When you turn 65, you become eligible for Medicare on the first of the month in which you turn 65. Unless your birthday is on the first of the month, then you become eligible for Medicare the first of the prior month.
Please note if you are a local government retiree, you become ineligible for coverage on the state group health plan upon Medicare entitlement regardless of age.
When you become entitled to Medicare, you will be removed from the state retiree group health plan. If you still have eligible dependents on the state medical plan at that time, their coverage will continue until they are no longer eligible. An eligible spouse may stay on the coverage until they are Medicare eligible. An eligible child can stay on the coverage through the end of the month that they turn age 26.
The coverage level and premium rate will change to the appropriate level according to how many dependents are still to be covered on the plan, i.e., spouse only, child only, spouse plus child, etc.
You may view the current retiree premium levels on our website: https://www.tn.gov/partnersforhealth/insurance-premiums.html
Example # 1: You currently have retiree plus spouse coverage on the state retiree group health plan. Your date of birth is 7/15/1958 and you become Medicare eligible on 7/1/2023. You will come off of the retiree group health plan effective 07/01/2023 and the policy will change to spouse only coverage. Your spouse’s date of birth is 3/4/1959 so they are not Medicare eligible until 3/1/2024. You may continue spouse only coverage until 3/01/2024.
Example # 2: You have retiree plus child coverage on the state retiree group health plan. Your date of birth is 9/01/1958 so you become Medicare eligible on 8/1/2023. You will age off of the retiree group health plan and the policy will change to child only coverage effective 8/01/2023. Your child’s date of birth is 5/22/1998 so they can stay on your medical coverage until 6/01/2024.