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How to escalate retiree benefits issues  (Updated Apr 25, 2025) Click to join the HPAA   Question? Email us: info@hpalumni.org

Advice from HP/HPE alumni discussions. Not officially endorsed or supported. Join HPAA at no charge.

Note that HP Inc and HPE are typically closed for a couple of weeks before the end of the year.

For other topics -- such as HR, payroll, stock, or retiree discounts: https://www.hpalumni.org/contacts


The HP and HPE Benefits Centers are outsourced.

HP Inc Benefits Center. Operated by Alight Benefits Administration  -- a separate company from the Medicare sales agency Alight Retiree Health Solutions.

HPE (Hewlett Packard Enterprise) Benefits Center. Operated by Alight Benefits Administration -- a separate company from the Medicare sales agency Alight Retiree Health Solutions. (Was operated by Bswift from 4/1/19 to 4/1/25. Phone and web address unchanged.)

HP Inc is the overall legal successor to Hewlett-Packard and to companies acquired by Hewlett-Packard before Nov 1, 2015 – such as Compaq, DEC, EDS, Tandem, etc. -- regardless of whether a business unit ended up in HP Inc or HPE. For employees of HP -- and predecessor companies -- who left before the HPInc/HPE separation, responsibility for any health or retirement benefits varies from country to country. For the US, HP Inc has responsibility. For Canada and UK, HPE has responsibility. In many countries, plans were split between HP Inc and HPE. See: Where are my benefits?

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is  the overall legal successor to companies acquired by HPE – such as Cray, Juniper, Nimble, etc.

Which HP-related companies have me classified as a retiree or former employee? Due to acquisitions and spinoffs, this may not be obvious. Check here: Which Company


Steps to follow

With any call center, if you get an answer that doesn't match the Enrollment Guide or other paperwork, or seems wrong, or doesn't make sense, call a second time!

Step 1. If a specific carrier or provider is involved, call their phone center first. (UHC, AARP/UHC, Aetna, Anthem, Express Scripts, Medco, OptumRx, Kaiser, Harvard Pilgrim, Tufts, etc.) If the first-level phone agent can't help you, ask to escalate your problem. Use the magic word "escalate."

Step 2. If the provider has incorrect information about your eligibility or coverage -- or otherwise can't resolve your issue -- call the appropriate phone center -- the HP Inc Benefits Center, HPE Benefits Center, or Alight Retiree Health Solutions. Phone numbers, hours, and websites: https://www.hpalumni.org/BenefitsCenters.

The key: All that a provider knows about your specific coverage is in files that were transmitted to them by the HP Inc Benefits Center, HPE Benefits Center, or Alight Retiree Health Solutions.

Step 3. If the first-level Benefits Center or Alight Retiree Health Solutions phone agent can't resolve your issue, ask them to "escalate" your call. Use the magic word "escalate." We get very good reports from members who have escalated within the phone centers. The Benefits Centers and Alight Retiree Health Solutions each have a special group that deals with provider issues -- for example, they can set up a three-way phone conversation with an expert troubleshooter at the provider. "After calling the HPE Benefits center again I got to the right person who confirmed what you said." --John

Step 4. If that doesn't get results, escalate to management following HPAA member advice:

- HP Inc https://www.hpalumni.org/escalate-HPInc

- HPE  https://www.hpalumni.org/escalate-HPE

- Alight Retiree Health Solutions  https://www.hpalumni.org/escalate-ARHS


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