Eligibility to Continue Retiree Health and Dental
To continue coverage under a state-sponsored health and dental insurance plan, you must:
- Be at least age 55 by your retirement date;
- Applied for and receive a State of Iowa monthly pension benefits (IPERS);
- Be enrolled in a state-sponsored health insurance plan at the time of your enrollment; and
- Complete and sign the appropriate retirement paperwork.
Effective Date of Coverage
Coverage in the active employee group will cease at the end of the month in which you retire. Your coverage as a retiree will begin the first of the month following retirement.
Coverage Levels
Except for SPOC-covered employees, health and dental insurance plans offers two levels of coverage:
- Single
- Family
SPOC-covered employees have four levels of coverage to choose from.
- Employee only
- Employee and Spouse
- Employee and Child(ren)
- Employee, Spouse, and Children
Eligible Dependents
Eligible family members for retiree health and dental insurance coverage are defined as:
- Retiree's spouse (This individual is a husband or wife as the result of a legally recognized marriage in Iowa. This does not include a spouse from whom the employee is legally separated or divorced.);
- Retiree's domestic partner (An unmarried person who has signed an affidavit of domestic partnership with the plan member.); (NOTICE: Domestic partners for SPOC-covered retirees are not eligible for health and dental insurance coverage.)
- Retiree's children through the end of the calendar year in which they turn age 26;
- Employee’s unmarried children over the age of 26 who are full-time students; or
- Employee’s unmarried children who are totally and permanently disabled prior to age 27.
Dependent Children
A dependent child is:
- Your natural child
- A child placed with you for adoption or a legally adopted child
- A child for whom you have legal guardianship
- A stepchild
- A foster child
You may be required to provide documentation that a dependent is eligible as defined above.
Additional Information
Call 866-895-2464 or Email the State Retiree mailbox .
The Benefits Management Team of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services developed this website to provide you with information about your benefit options, and serve as a valuable resource for information about your benefits. The benefits described at this website are subject to change. Nothing herein shall be construed as a guarantee of benefits. This website is not a complete description of the State of Iowa’s benefit plans. Nothing on this website supersedes or changes any of the terms and conditions of any plan documents, insurance policies, or other legal agreements. If the wording in this website contradicts any plan documents, laws, regulations, administrative rules, insurance policies, or other legal agreements, the wording in the official documents and agreements will govern. If you have any questions, please contact your Human Resources Associate.