Retiree Benefits

2025 Retiree Plan Information

• Highmark Blue Shield (Non-Medicare): (844) 945-5509
• Highmark Freedom Blue (Medicare): (866) 918-5285

Non-Medicare Eligible Retirees: For retirees who have made a health care change for 2025 (Retiree Lion Traditional or Retiree Lion Advantage), new ID cards WILL be issued by Highmark Blue Shield, with an expected arrival date at their homes prior to January 1, 2025. If you have not received your card by January 2, 2025, please contact HR Services at (814) 865-1473 to change/update your mailing address on file. You may also download the My Highmark phone app or use your computer to access your My Highmark account to obtain your digital ID card.

Medicare-Eligible Retirees: Highmark Freedom Blue PPO will remain the health care plan for 2025. New ID cards WILL be issued by Highmark, with an expected arrival date at their homes prior to January 1, 2025. New enrollees receive ID cards shortly after enrollment throughout the year.

Penn State Employee Benefits mailed out the 2025 Retiree plan information starting the week of October 28, 2024. All retirees participating in the retiree medical coverage should expect to receive their letters no later than Friday, November 8. If you did not receive your letter, please review the below information as it pertains to your retiree medical plan enrollment.

1. 2025 Freedom Blue Mailing Packet
2. 2025 Non-Medicare Retiree Mailing Packet
3. 2025 Retiree Split Plan Mailing Packet

Additional 2025 plan information will be located in the chart below as additional 2025 information is released from Highmark.

Process

1. Six months to one year from your planned retirement date, attend a Preparing for Retirement presentation.
2. Consult with your retirement plan vendor, TIAA or SERS, regarding your upcoming plans to retire.
3. Call HR Services or submit an Inquiry through the WorkLion portal to confirm your eligibility to retire per Policy HR54, if hired prior to January 1, 2010.
4. Notify your supervisor and/or local HR unit of your intent to retire so your unit can initiate the electronic retirement process in a timely fashion.
5. Utilize the Preparing to Retire Checklist to ensure that your personal information is updated in Workday and you have reviewed your current benefits that will be available into retirement.
6. If you and/or your spouse are Medicare-eligible, please see the detailed Retiring and Medicare-eligible Checklist.

You may also be interested in learning more about Medicare prior to your retirement. Please review the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) Medicare and You Handbook.

Active employees, also may utilize Penn State's Employee Assistance Program, SupportLinc, to have them help review your specific options. Call SupportLinc at 888-881-5462 for guidance and support. Additionally, Medicare and retirement-related resources are available at SupportLinc. Get started either by going to supportlinc.com with code pennstate or via Workday under My Benefits and Pay and click on SupportLinc EAP.

Retiree Healthcare Savings Account, employees hired January 1, 2010, or later

For any full-time employee hired January 1, 2010, or later, the university will contribute $144 monthly into a Retiree Savings Account, administered by TIAA, to help pay for qualified medical expenses in retirement. Funds can be used to purchase health insurance and other qualified medical expenses for you and your eligible dependents.

Retirement Healthcare Savings Plan Advantages:

• Money is set aside for your healthcare expenses at retirement while you are working
• Money accumulated in your account can be used for a variety of healthcare expenses, such as healthcare insurance, co-payments, deductibles and long-term care insurance
• Healthcare savings plan can be used yourself, spouse and eligible dependents
• Tax-free growth on any earnings on the contributions Penn State makes on your behalf
• Tax-free reimbursement of qualified healthcare expenses at retirement
• On-line access to healthcare savings account, when you meet Penn State’s eligibility retirement qualifications
• Check Status of Claims
• Submit a premium payment to health insurance provider
• Access health and wellness tools

Retirement Healthcare Savings Plans Fact Sheet

For additional information or questions regarding retirement, please contact HR Services at 814-865-1473 or log an inquiry via the WorkLion portal.

Additionally, HR has prepared the following Retirement Resources an effort to help you understand the benefits you have after retirement, as well as to provide links to important retiree benefit information.