Healthcare benefits are important to you and your family’s health and financial well-being. One catastrophic medical bill can have dire consequences. Let’s look at where you can purchase medical insurance at all stages of your working and retired life.

You are working and have not reached age 65

If you are not yet 65, or eligible for a Social Security disability benefit, you are not eligible for Medicare. In order to get healthcare coverage, you will need to purchase an active healthcare plan. Many individuals have health benefits offered through their employer in which the cost is shared by the employee and employer. Employers may offer a tier of plans with differing benefits, such as deductible levels, types of services covered, and maximum out-of-pocket costs. Be sure to review the plans and costs available to you in order to choose a plan that works for you. You should also review the plan's Summary of Benefits and Coverage to understand the plan's coverage and your out-of-pocket costs. 

• If you are an active cleric or a lay employee of The Episcopal Church, see Medical Plans for information about the healthcare plans offered by The Episcopal Church Medical Trust (Medical Trust). You can also speak to your diocesan administrator about the plans offered. 
• If you are not eligible for coverage through the Medical Trust, check with your spouse’s employer about the benefits offered.
• If you, your spouse, or partner is not offered employer-sponsored health benefits, check out the Government’s Health Insurance Marketplace to find a plan that is right for you. Depending on your income, you may be eligible for a subsidy from the government that can be used to help pay for the cost of health coverage.

Medicare Eligible and Retired

If you are age 65 or over and retired, Medicare is your primary insurance if you have earned at least 40 credits in the Social Security system. Part A, inpatient hospital care, is free, and Part B, doctor care, has a monthly cost prorated based upon income. Go to medicare.gov to learn more about the specifics of Part A and B.

If you are a beneficiary of one of The Church Pension Fund's defined benefit or defined contribution retirement plans, you may be eligible for an Episcopal Church Medical Trust post-retirement health benefit offered as a UnitedHealthcare^® Group Medicare Advantage (PPO) plan.

• Find out more about our Group Medicare Advantage plan.
• Clergy and their eligible spouses may be eligible for a post-retirement health subsidy based on their earned years of Credited Service at retirement.

If you are not eligible for the Medical Trust’s Group Medicare Advantage plan and wish to compare the plan with others offered in your area, go to the Medicare website to get information about the different Medigap plans.

Medicare Eligible and Still Working

If you are age 65 or over, working full-time and covered under your employer's group health plan, you may not need to sign up for Medicare Part B. Medicare Part A becomes a secondary payer. However, there are some rules of which you should be aware.

• If your active plan is a high deductible health plan with a Health Savings Account (HSA), you may not have contributions made to the HSA once you have Medicare Part A.

To understand your situation, you should contact your employer or talk to Medicare’s Benefits Coordination and Recovery Center at (855) 798-2627.