Retirees

If you are retired, you may be eligible to continue dental and vision coverage in the Fund’s benefit Plan.

To be eligible, you must have been:

• Enrolled in COBRA Continuation Coverage when you retire.
  • When your COBRA Continuation Coverage ends, your eligibility for additional coverage may begin. The additional coverage is the same as existing COBRA Continuation coverage.
• Must be collecting a monthly pension from the City Retirement Board or another participating retirement system, and be a retired member from the City of Cambridge.
• You retired on or after January 1, 1984 and you were eligible for Fund coverage as an active employee.
• You retired on or after July 1, 1983 and you were covered by Local 195 I.P.E.A. during your employment.

Your dependents are not covered under your continuation coverage as a retiree unless they were already covered as eligible dependents while you were covered as an active employee.  Your covered dependents include:

Your spouse

• Spouses receiving a survivor’s benefit and their dependent children are covered unless the surviving spouse remarries, then coverage is terminated.

Your Covered Children

• Your dependent children are eligible for benefits until the age of under 26 – coverage would end on dependent(s) 26th birthday. To be considered an eligible dependent between the ages of 19 – under 26:
  • Dependent children must be unmarried and financially dependent on the enrolled member for support, and claimed on the members federal tax returns.
  • Must have residency with the member – living with the member more than half the year
  • Has no other coverage through any other plan
• Full-time student dependent children between the ages of 19 – under 25 that are not claimed on the members federal tax returns, but are dependent on the member for support, unmarried, and has no additional coverage – proof of student status required.
• Totally disabled, handicapped, and mentally disabled dependent children are eligible for benefits regardless of age, if your child is permanently disabled and is claimed as a dependent on your federal tax return.

For more information click on Dependent Children Eligibility Requirements

For a copy of the application form click on Age 19-26 Dependent Application. Complete and return the form(s) to Fund Office for only dependents that qualify under the age 19-26 dependent eligibility requirements.

You must pay an annual premium in order to receive benefits under continuation coverage for retirees.

• You will receive a notice from the Fund letting you know you have the right to purchase additional coverage after the COBRA Continuation period.
• The notice will show the cost of the annual premium. The amount of the annual premium may change from year to year. The notice from the Fund will have the exact cost.
• You must pay the annual premium within 30 days of receiving the notice.
• You may pay the annual premium in either one or two installments. If you pay the annual premium in one installment, you receive a 10% discount off the full, annual price. There is no discount for paying in two installments. You may not pay in two installments for individual retiree continuation coverage.

2024 Annual Premium for retiree continuation coverage (after COBRA coverage for retirees is exhausted) is:

The annual retiree premium may change from time to time. Always contact the Fund Office to know the current premium amounts.

Your benefits as a retiree are the same as the benefits for active employees

• Dental Benefits
• Vision Benefits