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Guide to Retirement

Plan now for Retirement

If you’re like most of us, you probably believe that retirement planning is something that you start thinking about when the end of your career is in sight. Nothing could be further from the truth. The secret to a successful retirement is getting started early: it’s never too early to start planning and saving for your retirement. 

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2. Getting Ready to Retire

G. Healthcare Insurance Plans for Retirees Under 65

Healthcare insurance plans cover a portion of (or sometimes all of) the costs of maintaining your health and treating illness and accidents. Below are the options available to retirees under 65.

COBRA

COBRA allows you to continue your current healthcare insurance coverage for up to 18 months following your last month of employment.

The monthly cost of maintaining your current coverage through COBRA depends on your current plan. When you retire, the HealthCare Trust will send you a letter with your cost for continuing your healthcare insurance coverage through the COBRA program. If you would like information before then, contact the HealthCare Trust.

City of Seattle HealthCare Plans

The City of Seattle offers Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) healthcare insurance plans to retirees under age 65.

The HMO options include the Kaiser Permanente Standard Plan and Deductible Plan. The PPO plans include the Aetna Preventive Plan and Traditional Plan. Click here to view and download a comparison of the benefits and costs of the four plans.

Note that you can only enroll in the City of Seattle healthcare plans at specific times:

  • When you retire before age 65 and are not choosing COBRA coverage.
  • When your COBRA coverage ends.
  • When you have a “qualifying event,” typically the loss of your group coverage provided by your spouse or partner.

The City of Seattle healthcare plans remain an option as long as there is no gap in your healthcare coverage and you maintain qualified group coverage. Contact the City of Seattle Benefits Unit at least 30 days before any planned coverage change to learn about enrolling in their healthcare plans. You can email the Benefits Unit at benefits.unit@seattle.gov.