ACERA’s Board of Retirement has decided to move ahead with a plan to provide individual medical plan coverage to our retirees who are not eligible for Medicare and who live outside of California or in parts of rural California outside the service areas for our group medical plans. This new coverage through the OneExchange private health insurance exchange will take effect in 2016, and open enrollment for the new plans will be in November of 2015.

ACERA already has experience with OneExchange. We’ve contracted for two years with OneExchange to provide individual plan coverage for over 1,100 of our Medicare-eligible retirees.

Here’s how the exchange works: Many insurance carriers offer plans in the exchange. During open enrollment in November, ACERA members who live outside of our group plan service areas call OneExchange, and licensed, non-commissioned benefits facilitators will help members choose and enroll in an individual medical insurance/prescription plan and use their Monthly Medical Allowance (via a health reimbursement account) to offset the cost of the plan if eligible. Members will not only be able to find plans through carriers who contract directly with OneExchange, but plans in the public health insurance exchanges will also be available. Members enrolled in plans through Kaiser Permanente multi-sites will be able to find a Kaiser Permanente plan through the exchange if they so choose.

This summer, ACERA will be sending out more information about which members are eligible to participate and how to and when to enroll. Additionally, for those who wish to inquire about enrolling in these plans, your October open enrollment packet will contain the contact information to reach the exchange.