Enrollment - HPInc Restrictions.

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(Updated Nov 1, 2026)   !posted Oct 24

Enrollment - HPInc Restrictions. 

In addition to the federal and state regulations involved, HPInc also has restrictions.

"HP retiree medical re-enrollment rules are designed to ensure a broad base of participation in HP retiree medical coverage and help control premiums for all retirees." --Benefits Enrollment Guide

Key documents:

- 2027 Benefits Enrollment Guide https://www.hpalumni.org/2027-hpinc-enrollmentguide.pdf  (Page 13.) "The guides were sent to all Pre-65 and pre-2003/digital who have pre-65 family members (split families). We did not send to those that are JUST Medicare as they are covered with ARHS." --our contact at HP Corporate Benefits

- 2027 "What's changing"  https://www.hpalumni.org/2027-hpinc-changing.pdf 

- a typical Annual Enrollment Statement from 2026:  https://www.hpalumni.org/HP_AE26_StatementSept.pdf

- Retiree Welfare Benefits Plan Summary Plan Description: https://www.hpalumni.org/HPIncHealthSPD.pdf  Covers the three HPInc retiree programs. Includes details on: EER, re-hire, COBRA, disability. Dependents. When coverage may be dropped by HPInc. Making changes. How to appeal. (Effective Jan 1, 2023. Downloaded 10/13/26.)

Even if you have a paper copy, download the current file and use Adobe Reader's search feature to find specific words or phrases (Ctrl-F, F3, or Command-F.)

Pre-2003* -- Must buy your primary plan from AlightRHS.

If you do not buy either an Advantage or a Medigap plan from AlightRHS:

- You will not get an HPInc RRA allocation for 2027.

- and you will permanently fall off the Pre-2003* plan.

Buying only a Medicare Part D Drug plan from AlightRHS -- without buying a Medigap plan from them -- will not get you an RRA allocation or keep you on the plan.

(This is tax-free for both the company and the retiree.)

Coverage for non-Medicare-eligible family members.

"If you qualify for Medicare but your covered family member does not, you must continue medical coverage through Alight Retiree Health Solutions for your non-Medicare-eligible family member to continue HP medical coverage in 2027." https://www.hpalumni.org/2027-hpinc-enrollmentguide.pdf (Page 2.)

If you don't buy a plan via HP (Pre-2003* or otherwise.) 

"...if you elect to not participate in HP retiree medical coverage, the following re-enrollment restrictions will apply:

- You will not have an option to re-enroll in HP retiree medical coverage during future annual enrollment periods. Instead, you will be eligible to re-enroll only within 60 days of losing coverage under another employer’s group medical plan or losing coverage purchased from a public health insurance exchange. Losing coverage under another employer’s group medical plan could include the loss of your own coverage through another employer or the loss of coverage under your spouse’s employer’s plan.

- If you die after declining HP coverage, your surviving dependents will not be eligible to participate in HP benefits following your death. Only dependents who are covered on the date of death can qualify to continue HP coverage."

From the 2027 Enrollment Guide https://www.hpalumni.org/2027-hpinc-enrollmentguide.pdf 

and typical Annual Enrollment Statement from 2026 https://www.hpalumni.org/HP_AE26_StatementSept.pdf

If you buy a plan through the public health exchange, such as Covered California.

(Directory of State Health Insurance Marketplaces: https://www.healthcare.gov/marketplace-in-your-state/ )

"If you are non-Medicare-eligible and you decide to purchase coverage through the public health exchange instead and the HP retiree benefits enrollment period has already ended, please contact the HP Benefits Center by December 11, 2026, by 6 p.m. PT, and notify the representative you’ve enrolled in an individual insurance market plan and will be discontinuing your 2027 HP retiree medical and prescription drug coverage.

"By notifying the HP Benefits Center of your public health exchange coverage, you’ll keep the option to enroll in HP coverage within 60 days of disenrolling from a public health exchange plan in the future. When you disenroll from a public health exchange plan, if you wish to re-enroll in HP benefits coverage, you must contact the HP Benefits Center within 60 days of dropping your public health exchange coverage."

https://www.hpalumni.org/2027-hpinc-enrollmentguide.pdf  (Footnote on page 9.)

Covering eligible dependents.

"It's your responsibility to ensure that the dependents you enroll are eligible. When you enroll your dependents, you are representing to the plans that the dependents are eligible. Any attempt to enroll an ineligible dependent is considered a material misrepresentation by you and evidence of fraud on the plans. If you cover a dependent who isn't eligible, that dependent's coverage may be dropped retroactively, without eligibility for COBRA or retroactive premium refunds..."

"For complete eligibility rules, see the HP benefits: Who you can cover guide on HPBenefitsCenter.com. Go to Health & Insurance > Forms and Plan Information and open the "Plan Documents" section.

"Dependent eligibility is subject to periodic audits..."

https://www.hpalumni.org/2027-hpinc-enrollmentguide.pdf  (Page 13.)

HPAA comment:

* Depending on your age and history with HP and predecessors, you may qualify for either the former, current, or DEC retiree medical plan. (For the more-generous former plan -- confusingly named "Pre-2003" -- you must have been born on or before June 30, 1957 -- unless your were in certain EER cycles or otherwise notified.) See detailed rules in the Summary Plan Description: https://www.hpalumni.org/HPIncHealthSPD.pdf  If rules were misapplied or HP's records were in error, members have successfully appealed -- see page 40 of the SPD for the contact at Corporate.

[This page is on our website: https://www.hpalumni.org/enroll-hpinc-restrictions ]

--Curt Gowan, Benefits Forum moderator and hpalumni.org maintainer

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Additional restrictions are covered in various places -- such as footnotes or in the text -- in the Enrollment Guide.

If you don't have the documents handy, we have copies on the HPAA website (as announced on this forum several times)

- 2026 Retiree Healthplan Enrollment Guide [Pre-2003 or DEC.] https://www.hpalumni.org/HP_2025_AE26_Legacy_Retiree_Guide.pdf  

- 2026 Retiree Healthplan Enrollment Guide [not-Pre-2003 or DEC.] https://www.hpalumni.org/HP_2025_AE26_RetireeGuide_RETHP.pdf 

- Statement from the HPInc Benefits Center, dated September 26. https://www.hpalumni.org/HP_AE26_StatementSept.pdf

Link to this page: https://www.hpalumni.org/enroll-re-enrollment

Next step: Menu of key Enrollment issues: https://www.hpalumni.org/enroll-menu (Membership not required.)