Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools (KCKPS) Mission:
Inspiring Excellence: Every Grownup, Every Child, Every Day.

Employee Services

Employee Services - Accounting, Budgeting & Payroll

Retiree Health Insurance Checklist

If you are retiring from USD #500 and are eligible for KPERS, you may be eligible to continue your medical, dental and vision benefits as a retiree. To continue your benefits, please follow the checklist.

  1. Confirm with the Benefits Office how long your Active Employee benefits will continue. For example, if your retirement start date is September 1 and you receive paychecks through August 31, your Active Employee benefits will end September 30. You will not start your Retiree benefits until October 1.
  2. Make sure you re-enroll as an Active Employee during the May open enrollment preceding your retiree date. If you do not reenroll as an active employee, you may lose your right to continue your coverage under the Retiree program and under COBRA. If your last paycheck from USD #500 is June 15 or later, you should reenroll as an active employee to preserve your right to continue benefits as a retiree.
  3. USD #500 uses a vendor called Benisource to administer the Retiree benefits. After the Benefits Office receives notification that you are retiring and determines your eligibility for retiree coverage, they will submit notice to Benisource. Benisource will notify you in writing of your right to continue as a Retiree with instructions on how to transfer your enrollment status from Active Employee to Retiree. All communication regarding your status transfer must be made with Benisource. All payments must be made to Benisource.
  4. Once Benisource receives your continuation form with payment they will notify Altrua, USD #500's online enrollment vendor. IF YOU DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM AND PAYMENT ON TIME TO BENISOURCE YOU WILL NOT HAVE RETIREE COVERAGE.
  5. Once Benisource has received your form, you will receive payment coupons if you do not elect Autopay. Benisource sends your enrollment transfer to Altrua, the online enrollment vendor. Altrua transfers your status and submits to the carriers on a weekly file feed. Please be aware that there may be a delay in transferring your coverage. For example, if your coverage ends July 31 as an active employee and you do not return your form until the 60 day deadline has almost expired to continue your coverage (September 29), your coverage lapsed for almost 2 month. There may be an additional 10-14 day delay to turn your coverage back on. You may be required to pay for services (i.e. prescriptions) until your coverage is turned back on, at which time you or the provider may submit a claim for reimbursement.
  6. USD #500 has a strict payment policy that is enforced:
    1. All payments must be postmarked by the last day in which they are due in order to be considered timely. For example, the March payment must be postmarked by March 31.
    2. If a check is returned for non-sufficient funds, you must repay the amount within 31 days by cashier's check or money order. All future payments must be made by Autopay.
    3. Benisource offers all retirees the option to pay automatically each month through Autopay. Autopay is convenient and payments are never late.
    4. Late payments will result in cancellation, no exceptions.
  7. Retirees must reenroll each year in benefits. You will receive your re-enrollment packet from Benisource and your worksheet must be returned to Benisource by the date specified. You will still access the online enrollment site to complete your Health Risk Assessment.

As a Retiree, you are eligible to continue only those benefits in which you were enrolled on the last day as an active employee. Medical coverage ends for retirees at Age 65. Dental and Vision coverage can be continued beyond Age 65. If you are over Age 65 at retirement, you will be offered COBRA for Medical coverage (if applicable) and Retiree status for Dental and Vision (if applicable).

If you have any questions prior to retiring, please contact the Benefits Office at 913-279-2274 or 913-279-2135. You may also contact the Benefits Office via email at benefits@kckps.org.

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