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Retired Employees & Surviving Spouses
Retiree Plans
Retirees (and their spouses and dependents) of the Town of Needham and Needham School District are eligible for Town-sponsored health insurance if they, 1) were eligible for insurance benefits while working, and 2) are currently retired and receiving a monthly retirement allowance from either the Needham Contributory Retirement System or the Massachusetts Teachers Retirement System.
Eligible retirees and their spouses will have Non-Medicare and Medicare Supplement plans available to them, based on age and Medicare eligibility.
Non Medicare Retirees & Spouses
Non-Medicare eligible retirees and spouses have the same menu of plans available to them as current employees. They should visit the Open Enrollment page to choose plans that run on a July 1 through June 31 plan year.
Three months prior to the retiree or spouse’s 65th birthday, they should contact their local Social Security Office to apply for Medicare Parts A and B and set up an appointment with the Human Resources Department to obtain plan information and enrollment materials for Medicare plans. For instructions in enrolling in a Medicare plan, please review this Step-by-Step Guide and then reach out to the HR Department's Benefits Administrator at 781-455-7500 ext. 235 or HR@NeedhamMA.gov.
Medicare Retirees & Spouses
Retirees and their spouses that are eligible for Medicare and wish to continue with Town-sponsored health insurance MUST enroll in Medicare Parts A and B and select a Medicare Supplement plan. These plans run on a January 1 through December 31 plan year, and plan information can be found on the Medicare Plan Open Enrollment page. For instructions in enrolling in a Medicare plan, please review this Step-by-Step Guide and then reach out to the HR Department's Benefits Administrator at 781-455-7500 ext. 235 or HR@NeedhamMA.gov.
Note on dependents: If dependent children are being covered and retiree and/or spouse is eligible for Medicare, the only option for coverage under a Town-sponsored plan is the Non-Medicare Family plans. The Medicare eligible retiree and spouse must still enroll in Medicare A and B, but will be covered under and pay for a family plan.
Surviving Spouses
Upon the death of a retiree, the surviving spouse may maintain town-sponsored coverage, however the Town no longer contributes to the cost of health insurance. If the surviving spouse is no longer receiving a retirement allowance from the retirement board, they will be direct billed. Deaths of retirees and spouses should be reported to the Town’s Human Resources Department, which administers health insurance benefits.