Safety Members Plans A/B Center

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Social Security and Medicare

Safety plan members have never been covered by Social Security. However, some Safety A and B members may be eligible for Social Security.

Social Security Eligibility

You may be eligible for Social Security if you:

  • Earned enough credit while previously employed in a non-safety position prior to the County’s withdrawal from the Social Security system
  • Earned enough credit through Social Security-covered outside employment
  • Are eligible through your spouse/ex-spouse

Plan A and B members who worked for the County prior to January 1983 as general members will have their LACERA retirement allowance reduced by a fixed dollar amount for each year of service prior to 1983 that was covered by Social Security while they were employed by the County. See the Social Security and Medicare page under your prior general member plan to see the applicable reduction.

Prior to January 1, 2024, retired member federal benefits were subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO).

The WEP and GPO were repealed In January 2025 with an effective date of January 2024 and are pending implementation under the Social Security Fairness Act. Members who retired on or after January 1, 2025, will no longer see any reductions in their federal benefits as a result of these two repealed provisions.  As of February 2025, LACERA is not aware of any implementation plan released by the Social Security Administration to address members or survivors who retired prior to January 1, 2025 but will keep members apprised as we receive new information. Visit the Social Security website for agency updates on the Fairness Act.

Medicare Eligibility

Safety Plan A and B members do not contribute to Medicare, but some might still qualify for Medicare through other means, such as through a spouse/ex-spouse, Social Security disability, or Social Security-covered employment.

For more information about Social Security and Medicare eligibility, call the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 or visit www.ssa.gov.