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Retiree/COBRA
Important Information: Most benefits such as Health Insurance and Flexible Benefits (Dental, Vision, Accident and Hospital indemnity) terminate at the end of the month in which your employment ends. For example, if your employment termination date (this date may not be the same as your last day of work) is October 8, benefits will terminate on October 31.
COBRA information will be mailed to you by WEX, to your home address listed on file, within 30 days of your benefits terming. You will have 60 days to enroll in COBRA. Once enrolled, COBRA coverage will be backdated to when your benefits termed with the state. Therefore, you will never have a break in coverage.
Life Insurance: Basic Life Insurance is not portable but can be converted once you end employment with the State. Supplemental Life Insurance is portable and may be continued up to the age of 99.
Continuation information will be mailed to you by Transition Solutions (a partner of MetLife) to your home address listed on file once your coverage terminates with the State. You will have 30 days to elect continuation of coverage. Visit https://www.metlife.com/southdakota/ for more information.
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Banker's Life
Open Enrollment is open until December 7, 2025.
Bankers Life and Casualty will continue to offer health care coverage to Retirees who are age 65 or older. Premiums for the coverage are age-graded and are subject to change on a calendar-year basis.
For more information, contact the Bureau of Human Resources at 605.773.3148, or Banker's Life and Casualty at 800.283.8011.Resources
Medicare Get Ready Guide
A comprehensive guide to understanding Medicare and how it can work for you.
ALEX for Medicare
Learn about your Medicare coverage, understand your options, and make the right choice for you.
SHIINE (Senior Health Information & Insurance Education)
- SHIINE.net
- Learn how SHIINE can help you understand and navigate Medicare.
Contact SHIINE by visiting https://dhs.sd.gov/en/ltss/shiine
Social Security Contact Info
www.ssa.gov
1.800.772.1213
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
www.Medicare.gov
1.800.MEDICARE (633.4227)
We have had many requests for webinar sessions of our Medicare 101 educational events. These free sessions are designed to educate business leaders, HR professionals, and individuals on the basics of Medicare, especially as the Annual Enrollment Period is underway from October 15-December 7. You can find more information and registration links below. If this is of interest to you, I hope you’ll join us or pass it along.
Upcoming Medicare 101 Webinars will be posted here.
If you are nearing your 65th birthday or have a loved one approaching age 65, wondering about your Medicare eligibility and what your options are, or are overwhelmed with all the information regarding Medicare, then Medicare 101 is for you. At this educational session, Shannon Vogel, Benefits & Medicare Advisor, will take you through the basics of Medicare, enrollment time frames, and some of the coverage options available. There will be a moderated Q&A time available at the end of the session.