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Frequently Asked Questions
Medicare Part A and Part B are usually referred to as "Original Medicare". Part A offers coverage for your hospital stays, while Part B offers coverage for doctor visits and outpatient care. You receive your benefits directly from the government. Medicare then pays fees for your care directly to the doctors and hospitals you visit.
Medicare Part C plans are usually referred to as Medicare Advantage plans. All Medicare Advantage plans are provided by private insurance companies, like UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, and they all combine coverage for hospital stays (Medicare Part A) with coverage for doctor visits and other outpatient care (Medicare Part B) into one plan. Some plans include prescription drug coverage (Medicare Part D), plus extra benefits like vision, hearing and dental coverage. Under Medicare Part C, the Medicare Advantage plan pays the fees for your care directly to the doctors and hospitals that you visit.
Medicare Supplement plans act as a supplement to "Original Medicare" (Parts A and B). Medicare Supplement plans help to pay for some of the costs, like coinsurance and deductibles that Original Medicare does not cover. If you enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan and need prescription drug coverage, you will need to enroll in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan also.
Senior Supplement plans also act as a supplement to Original Medicare, but are only offered through an employer group or plan sponsor. They may have similar benefits as the Federal Medicare Supplement plans, but may also cover state-mandated benefits. If you enroll in a Senior Supplement plan and need prescription drug coverage, you will need to enroll in a Part D prescription drug plan also. Employer groups and plan sponsors commonly offer both a Senior Supplement plan and a separate Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.
No. Enrollment in the TRS-Care program is only available during specific windows of opportunity. First and foremost, you have an initial enrollment opportunity to join the TRS-Care program upon retirement. If you’re a retiree or surviving spouse who isn’t 65 yet, and you either dropped TRS-Care or didn’t enroll during your initial enrollment opportunity, you can enroll in the program when you turn 65 or if you experience a special enrollment event.
Please contact TRS Health and Insurance Benefits for more information on Special Enrollment Events. These are extremely rare situations, so TRS recommends that retirees carefully consider decisions to leave TRS-Care.
Yes. You must purchase and continue paying for Medicare Part B to be eligible for the TRS-Care Medicare Advantage plan. The Part B premium is deducted from your monthly federal benefit. If you aren’t receiving SSA or Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) benefits, you’ll receive a bill from Medicare. The cost of your Medicare premium will depend on your income. If you have questions about how much you may have to pay for your Medicare benefits, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778.
This is a requirement for Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D prescription drug, Medicare supplement, and Senior Supplement plans. If you stop paying your Part B premium, you risk losing all TRS-Care coverage for you and any covered dependents. Also, you can only be in one Medicare Advantage plan at a time. Enrolling in another Medicare Advantage plan or Medicare prescription drug plan may disenroll you and any covered dependents from TRS-Care Medicare Advantage. You must let us know if you are enrolled or planning to enroll in a different Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare prescription drug plan.
If you leave TRS-Care Medicare Advantage, you may only re-enter TRS-Care if you experience a special enrollment event such as a marriage or adoption. If a TRS retiree or surviving spouse terminates coverage or is no longer eligible for the TRS-Care Medicare Advantage plan, the covered dependents will also lose coverage. We encourage you to carefully consider your decision before you leave the program. You aren’t required to enroll in TRS-Care Medicare Advantage, but it is your only medical plan option through TRS-Care. If you terminate coverage, you and your dependents won’t have any medical or prescription coverage through TRS-Care.
You may terminate TRS-Care Medicare Advantage coverage by calling TRS Health and Insurance Benefits at 1-888-237-6762 (TTY:711), Monday – Friday 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., Central Time. At your request, TRS will then send you a termination form (TRS 700B) that you must sign, have notarized and return to TRS to process your termination from the program. If you want to join a different Medicare plan, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE anytime, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for help in learning how. If you use a TTY, call 1- 877-486-2048.
Your state may have counseling services through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). They can provide you with personalized counseling and assistance when selecting a plan, including Medicare Supplement plans, Medicare Advantage plans and Prescription Drug Plans. They can also help you find medical assistance through your state Medicaid program and the Medicare Savings Program.
Your plan is unique in that you can see any provider who accepts Medicare and will bill UnitedHealthcare. To find doctors or hospitals in our network, see the online Provider Directory. This directory is updated regularly to provide you with the current listing of network providers. If you would like help finding a network doctor or to request a written copy of the Provider Directory, please call TRS-Care Medicare Advantage-dedicated Customer Service 1-866-347-9507, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday. TTY users, call 711.
Click on the Resources tab in the menu at the top of your screen, then on the Appeals & Grievances link. This page provides detailed information about the appeals process.
This information is accessible within the member portion of the site. Once logged in, click the "Coverage & Benefits" link in the menu at the top of your screen. This page will provide your annual deductible and out-of-pocket costs for your health and prescription drug plan, as applicable.
This information is accessible within the member portion of the site. Once logged in, click the "Claims" link in the menu at the top of your screen. The Claims page will enable you to search for medical and/or drug claims by date range and will provide an overview of each claim searched.
The TRS-Care program is only available during specific windows of opportunity. First and foremost, you have an initial enrollment opportunity to join the TRS-Care program upon retirement. If you’re a retiree or surviving spouse who isn’t 65 yet, and you either dropped TRS-Care or didn’t enroll during your initial enrollment opportunity, you can enroll in the program when you turn 65 or if you experience a special enrollment event.
Please contact TRS Health and Insurance Benefits for more information on Special Enrollment Events. These are extremely rare situations, so TRS recommends that retirees carefully consider decisions to leave TRS-Care.
This information is accessible within the member portion of the site. Once logged in, click on the "View and Print Member ID Card" link on the home page.
If you are unable to find the links noted above, please call customer service using the number listed on your plan materials or the number noted for Plan Members on the Contact Us page.