Dependent coverage coordination. Unlike group Medicare plans, which may cover dependents (such as a spouse/partner), a standard Medicare plan covers one individual. This complicates the transition from a pre-Medicare group employee or retiree plan to Medicare, since you and your spouse/partner are probably not the same age. work with an insurance agent to set up coverage. AARP article "Younger Spouse Losing Health Insurance, Now What?"
https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-qa-tool/qualify-for-medicare-at-age-63/ 

A couple of months before you reach 65 -- and during every Annual Enrollment -- you will start hearing from multiple companies:

Many insurance sales companies will contact you. You will receive mailings and phone solicitations from HMOs, insurance carriers (such as AARP/UHC) and insurance sales agencies who purchase lists, selected by age, from consumer data brokers. Your postal or email address was not provided by HP/HPE.

Individual, open-market Medicare policies are available through insurance sales agencies and directly from insurance companies. Policies vary on critical details -- such as network and service area, referrals and pre-approvals, out-of-pocket costs, and yearly limits. Premiums are based on the highly-competitive open market and across all customers of the insurer. Sales agencies are paid a standard commission and monthly admin fee by the insurance company.

HP and HPE have both selected a specific sales agency -- Alight Retiree Health Solutions -- to sell and administer policies that are subsidized by HP or HPE.
Notes:
- ARHS offers most -- but not all -- available open-market plans.
- Some plans are not in the ARHS online plan selector -- you must ask for AARP/UHC plans.
- ARHS is a separate company from Alight Benefits Administration, which operates the HP Inc Benefits Center (and the HPE Benefits Center as of 4/1/25.)

Details and member advice: https://www.hpalumni.org/medicare-open-market

You must carefully compare the alternatives yourself. Member advice on how to compare policies: https://www.hpalumni.org/health-compare

You can compare benefits and costs for all open-market policies -- Advantage, Drug, and Medigap -- available in your ZIP code on the official Medicare site. Gives estimated cost -- and contact info -- for each policy. (Notes: No sales agency, including ARHS, offers all policies available in your area. The official Medicare comparison site does not have information on any group policies, such as HP/HPE, that you might be qualified for.) https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare 

Deadlines.  Dec 7, 2023 national Medicare deadline to adjust your coverage for the next calendar year. (The national deadline does not apply if you have qualified life event during the year -- such as starting Medicare.)

Next step: 4a. Purchase a policy  Member advice on purchasing a Medicare policy that isn't subsidized by HP or HPE. (Note that ARHS is a separate company from Alight Benefits Administration, which operates the HP Inc Benefits Center. The HPE Benefits Center is also operated by Alight Benefits Administration as of 4/1/25.)

Advice and reference info from members. (Updated July 2, 2025) Website operated by volunteers. Not officially endorsed or supported. Click to join the HPAA   Question? Email us: info@hpalumni.org