You may apply for the state’s supplemental medical insurance for retirees with Medicare called The Tennessee Plan if you are enrolled in at least Medicare Part A, have an initial hire date with a qualifying agency that is prior to July 1, 2015 and receive a monthly Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System pension benefit or you are a higher education Optional Retiree Program retiree. You may apply to cover your dependents who are eligible and enrolled in Medicare when you enroll in The Tennessee Plan.
Retirees who receive a monthly TCRS pension check who will become eligible for Medicare by virtue of age after retirement or ORP retirees who are enrolled on the state retiree group health plan, will be mailed an application approximately three months prior to their 65th birthday. The application must be submitted within 60 days of your initial eligibility to enroll without answering medical underwriting questions. The initial eligibility date is the date of TCRS retirement, the date active state group health coverage terminates, or date of Medicare eligibility, whichever is later. Coverage will become effective on your initial eligibility date provided the application is received timely. Note: If your initial eligibility date is your date of retirement with TCRS, coverage would be effective the first of the following month. For example, if your date of retirement is May 4, coverage would be effective June 1.
If you enroll in The Tennessee Plan and your spouse becomes entitled to Medicare at a later date, you have 60 days from the date of your spouse’s Medicare eligibility to apply to add him or her to coverage without the spouse being required to answer medical underwriting questions. More information and the Tennessee Plan application are available on our website at https://www.tn.gov/partnersforhealth/continuing-insurance-at-retirement.html