Payment due date
Your monthly payment is due on the first day of the month and the grace period expires 30 days later. Your coverage is terminated if your payment is not received or postmarked by the last day of the grace period. Retiree group health premiums are not deducted from your Social Security check. Premiums are deducted from your retirement benefit only if you are enrolled in the HELPS program.
Automatic premium payment program
If you already participate in the automatic bank draft program, and your payment information is the same for 2023, you do not need to re-enroll. UnitedHealthcare will automatically deduct the correct 2023 premium amount. If you are not signed up for the automatic premium payment program, consider enrolling soon.
An authorization form is available at pebcinfo.com or from your Human Resources department. If you want to start this program, enroll online at UHCServices.com or mail the form to UnitedHealthcare. If you change banks or your account number, you must contact UnitedHealthcare immediately. Double-check your premium to make sure it is for the correct year’s amount.
Where to mail your payment:
- UnitedHealthcare Benefit Services
P.O. Box 713082
Cincinnati, OH 45271-3082
Need to contact UnitedHealthcare?
Why would a retiree consider an HSA?
If you want to set aside money on a pretax basis before you enroll in Medicare, you may want to consider enrolling in the HDP with HSA. Once you enroll in Medicare, you can no longer contribute to the HSA, but you can still use the money tax-free as long as funds are used to pay for qualified medical expenses. To have an HSA, the IRS requires you be enrolled in a qualified high-deductible health plan, like the HDP offered through PEBC. Before enrolling in the HDP, you will want to compare the advantages of the plan with your specific situation. Consult your tax or financial advisor or contact your HSA bank if you have questions about the HSA. Your employer cannot give you tax advice.
Medicare and the HSA
As long as you are not enrolled in Medicare (even if you have reached age 65), you can still contribute to an HSA until the month you enroll in Medicare. You can even continue to make catch-up contributions prior to your Medicare effective date. Once you are enrolled in Medicare, you cannot contribute to an HSA, but the money is still yours to save, spend or leave to your heirs.
Medicare and out-of-pocket expenses
While you cannot contribute to an HSA if you are enrolled in Medicare, you can use funds in your HSA to pay for out-of-pocket, qualified medical expenses — even if you are enrolled in Medicare. To illustrate, if you are enrolled in the Medicare Advantage plan, you can use HSA funds to pay an office visit copay.
Paying for insurance premiums with HSA funds
Typically, you cannot use HSA funds to pay medical insurance premiums, but there are some exceptions that may apply to you. Here are a few examples of how HSA funds can (or cannot) be used to pay premiums.
- Medicare Advantage Plan PPO (MPO) — If you are age 65 or older, you can use HSA funds to pay premiums (known as Part C coverage).
- Medicare Advantage Plan HMO (PMA) — If you are age 65 or older, you can use HSA funds to pay premiums (known as Part C coverage).
- Medicare Part B — If you are age 65 or older, you can use HSA funds to reimburse yourself for the cost of Part B coverage.
- Medicare Part D — If you are age 65 or older, you can use HSA funds to reimburse yourself for the cost of Part D coverage.
- If you are age 65 or older and still working, you can use HSA funds to reimburse yourself for your employer group premium (you cannot use your HSA to pay for these premiums before age 65).
- If you are age 65 or older and not working, you can use HSA funds to pay your employer-sponsored retiree group premium.
