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Enrollment/Termination Questions |
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| Q) | When is open enrollment? | |
| A) | Open enrollment takes place in November but any changes you make will not be effective until the following January. | |
| Q) | Whom do I contact at Aerospace about enrollment? | |
| A) | For open enrollment changes, contact the Retirement Office. Call (310) 336-5107 in the local El Segundo area, otherwise, call (800) 458-3892. If you are going to change your plan during open enrollment, wait for an open enrollment package from Employee Benefits. Changes are allowed in November of each year, and will be effective the following January 1. For other information, retirees should write to Retirement Office/ M3-433, PO Box 92957, Los Angeles, CA 90009-2957. Changes outside of open enrollment are restricted to events such as relocation out of plan service area or life events. | |
| Q) | Can I keep COBRA longer than 18 months? | |
| A) | No. You may only keep COBRA coverage for 18 months after you retire. | |
| Q) | My spouse is working and is covering me under his/her insurance. If I drop my coverage with Aerospace, can I get back into the Retiree Medical Plan? | |
| A) | Yes. If you waived coverage because you were covered under another plan, you may re-enroll in the Retiree Medical Plan within 30 days of losing that other coverage. If you do not lose coverage but would like to re-enroll in the Aerospace Retiree Medical Plan, you may do so only during open enrollment. Evidence of Insurability may be required. | |
| Q) | I had medical coverage when I retired, but elected not to continue the coverage because I was covered by my spouse’s medical plan. My spouse’s plan provides better coverage at less cost. If my spouse loses his/her coverage, can I re-enroll in a medical plan at Aerospace? | |
| A) | Yes. If you waived coverage because you were covered under another plan you may re-enroll in The Aerospace plan if you lose that other coverage. You must contact Aerospace by October 31, prior to the year you would like to re-enroll to receive an open enrollment package. | |
| Q) | Whom do I contact at Aerospace about termination of my medical coverage? | |
| A) | Contact the Retirement Office. Call (310) 336-5107 in the local El Segundo area, otherwise call (800) 458-3892. You may re-enroll during open enrollment in November of each year for benefits effective the following January 1. For other information, retirees should write to the Retirement Office/M3-433, PO Box 92957, Los Angeles, CA 90009-2957. Changes outside the open enrollment are restricted to events such as relocation out of plan service area or life events. | |
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HMO Questions |
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| Q) | Should I consider an HMO? | |
| A) | HMO’s are available to retirees and offer an alternative to other plans. HMO’s cover hospital and physician care and prescriptions, but they stress preventive care, covering routine physicals and immunizations. Many HMO’s offer comprehensive coverage at low premiums. | |
| Q) | Are there any disadvantages to HMO’s? | |
| A) | The HMO decides how much, the kind, and the location of the patient’s medical care. In many HMO’s, the enrollee must use the doctors and hospitals that are members of the HMO, or with which the HMO has agreements. HMO’s also have limited benefits outside of their full service area. | |
| Medicare Questions | ||
| Q) | Should all retirees enroll in Medicare when they become eligible? | |
| A) | Yes. All retiree medical plans require Medicare Parts A & B for payment of claims. You must send a copy of your Medicare card to the Aerospace Employee Benefits Department before your 65th birthday. In addition, your must enroll in your insurance carrier’s Medicare D program if applicable. | |
| Q) | How and when do I apply for Medicare Parts A & B? | |
| A) | If you are receiving Social Security benefits, you will be automatically enrolled. Otherwise, approximately 3 months prior to reaching age 65, you should call (800) 772-1213, and request an appointment with your local Social Security office to file a Medicare claim. | |
| Q) | If I am enrolled in an HMO and am over age 65, do I apply for Medicare Parts A & B? | |
| A) | You must enroll in both Medicare Parts A & B so that your Medicare benefits can be coordinated with your HMO coverage. | |
| Q) | Do I have to enroll in Medicare D? | |
| A) | If your carrier has a Medicare D component, The Aerospace Benefits Department will send you the applicable form. | |
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Prescription Questions |
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| Q) | What are the advantages of using a mail order prescription service? | |
| A) | Mail order prescription service enables plans to provide prescription drugs sometimes at lower prices, resulting in savings to the plan and to you. Mail order services may also have extra controls built in that generally are not available through local retail pharmacies. | |
| Survivor Questions | ||
| Q) | What are the conditions for my survivor to continue benefits coverage in the event of my death? | |
| A) | For most retirees and survivors, continuation of Aerospace medical coverage is an important consideration. If the survivor is eligible for another group medical plan or remarries, Aerospace coverage will not be available. Survivors of retirees will pay the retiree cost-sharing amount. Survivors of active employees will receive coverage at no cost for one year and may continue coverage for up to five additional years by paying the full premium charged to The Aerospace Corporation. | |
| Q) | If I marry (or remarry) after retirement and, at that time, upon my death, can my new spouse keep Aerospace coverage? | |
| A) | Yes. If he/she is covered as a dependent at the time of the retiree’s death and has no other group medical coverage. | |
| Q) | Are there any circumstances whereby a survivor, who remarries, can retain medical coverage? | |
| A) | No. | |
Aerospace Retirees
This website is for retirees of the Aerospace corporation