Retiree Benefits
Congratulations on your upcoming retirement from Penn State! Penn State Employee Benefits would like to provide you with the most current information for a smooth transition into retirement and outline your benefits that you may retain upon your retirement.
2024 Retiree Plan Information
Penn State Employee Benefits will be mailing out the 2024 Retiree plan information starting the week of October 30, 2023. All retirees participating in the retiree medical coverage should expect to receive their letters no later than Friday, November 10. If you did not receive your letter, please review the below information as it pertains to your retiree medical plan enrollment.
- 2024 Freedom Blue Mailing Packet
- 2024 Non-Medicare Retiree Mailing Packet
- 2024 Retiree Split Plan Mailing Packet
Additional 2024 plan information is located in the chart below and additional 2024 information will be added to this chart as it is released from Highmark.
Process
- Six months to one year from your planned retirement date, attend a Preparing for Retirement presentation.
- Consult with your retirement plan vendor, TIAA or SERS, regarding your upcoming plans to retire.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- If you and/or your spouse are Medicare-eligible, please see the detailed Retiring and Medicare-eligible Checklist.
Active employees, also have the ability to utilize Penn State's Employee Assistance Program, HealthAdvocate, to have them help review your specific options.
Medicare Basics Flyer by HealthAdvocate.
Retiree Healthcare Savings Account, employees Hired AFTER January 2010
For anyone who was hired after January 2010, 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.