(For County & Municipal employees only)

 Health Insurance Subsidy Program

For Retired Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters

 

Recent legislation has made changes to the existing law that established the Retired County and Municipal Law Enforcement Officers and Municipal Firefighters Health Insurance Subsidy Program.  It allows for a one-time Open enrollment for current employees hired prior to 10/1/2019 that may not have enrolled in the program at their date of hire.  Retro contributions would be due before this provision expires, December 31, 2021.  It also allows new employees hired after 10/1/2019 to be able to enroll within 60 days of their date of hire or up to 5 years from their date of hire with retro contributions due.  Contact Employee Health & Wellness at 624-7682 for more information.

This legislation provides for a subsidy (45%) towards health insurance premiums for retired municipal and county law enforcement officers and municipal firefighters who meet eligibility criteria established under the law.  The subsidy is applied to the premiums of the municipalities’ group health insurance plan in which the retiree is enrolled. The subsidy ends upon reaching age 65 or becoming eligible for Medicare.  The subsidy will be increasing to 55% effective July 1, 2021.

If the municipality doesn’t have retiree health insurance available, then the State of Maine retiree health insurance will be made available to the retiree if they meet eligibility requirements.  Contact Employee Health and Wellness at 624-7682 for more information.

 

In order to be eligible for the health insurance subsidy premium at retirement an individual

(1) must be at least 50 years of age,

(2) enrolled in the Health Insurance Subsidy Premium Program and contributing

(3) Eligible for retiree health coverage from their Municipality or be eligible for the State of Maine retiree insurance coverage

(4) be a participant in the employer-sponsored retirement plan (either the MainePERS or another defined contribution retirement plan other than Social Security). There is also the option that the retirement subsidy can be paid toward the FF-LEO retiree’s health insurance coverage if it is obtained through their spouse’s employer insurance plan. For more information, please contact the Employee Health and Wellness.    

Individuals must make contributions to a special Trust fund established solely for this program.  Active firefighters and active law enforcement officers must make contributions and continue to participate until their time of retirement to be eligible for the subsidy.  Contributions are based upon the employee’s monthly gross compensation.  The Employee contributions can only be used for the purpose of the program and the employees do not have any right to these funds except to the extent the premium subsidies are available to them.  These funds are not transferable.  If you don’t use the funds towards retiree health insurance, the funds remain in the Trust, they are not refunded.   

The Retired Count and Municipal law Enforcement and Municipal Firefighters Health Insurance Subsidy Program is administered by the State of Maine’s Division of Employee Health & Wellness.  Questions should be directed to the Division of Employee Health & Wellness at

1-800-422-4503 or 207-624-7749.