This
site is currently being updated in preparation for the 2026 Enrollment
Cycle in mid-October.
Medicare not involving HP or HPE
If not receiving Medicare benefits subsidized by HP or HPE.
(#Updated Aug 25, 2025)
If you haven't already done so,
start at
Medicare - First step
(If
receiving Medicare
benefits subsidized by HP or HPE, go to
Medicare subsidized by HP or HPE )
If you decline HP/HPE medical coverage: Depending on your
situation, you can lose the ability to re-enroll in HP/HPE
coverage -- and your surviving dependents will not be eligible
for HP/HPE coverage. Refer to your Enrollment Guide --
especially the last pages:
https://www.hpalumni.org/EnrollmentGuides.htm
What happens when?
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/medicare/faq/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 calls from health systems, HMOs, insurance companies (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.
Standard open-market Medicare policies are available through insurance sales
agencies and directly from health systems and insurance
companies. 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.
If you have a Medicare subsidy from HP or HPE, you must purchase from a specific nationwide sales agency --
Alight Retiree Health Solutions. You pay the list price for the plan. The HP or HPE Benefits Center reimburses you monthly until your special Retiree Reimbursement Account is empty. ???????
Notes:
- Alight offers most -- but not all -- available open-market
plans.
- Some plans are not in the Alight online plan selector -- for example, you must ask for AARP/UHC plans.
- Alight Retiree Health Solutions 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
No sales agency
offers all policies available in your area.
Use the official
Medicare site to compare benefits and estimated costs -- with contact info -- for
all standard Advantage, Medigap, and Drug policies
available in your area.
https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare
Deadlines. Dec 7 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:
Purchase a policy Member advice on
purchasing a Medicare policy that isn't subsidized by HP or HPE.
Advice and reference info from
members.
Not officially endorsed or supported. Click to join the HPAA Question? Email us:
info@hpalumni.org
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