When you retire, you will receive a Retiree Healthcare Packet in the mail from LACERA. The packet contains important information about your LACERA-administered healthcare options to aide your decision-making and enrollment. Contact us if you have any questions or would like to receive a printed copy of the healthcare enrollment forms.
Manage Your Enrollment
You can enroll, change, or cancel your medical or dental/vision plan by providing LACERA the appropriate digital form. Click on the Retiree Healthcare Forms and Publications page to download the form you need. We also provide detailed step-by-step instructions and sample forms to assist you in completing and submitting your forms accurately.
Late Enrollment Rules
You must select and enroll in a LACERA-administered healthcare plan within 60 days of your retirement date or when your name appears on the Board of Retirement agenda, whichever is later—otherwise, you may be subject to a waiting period under the late enrollment rules.
If an eligible dependent is not already enrolled in your LACERA-administered healthcare plan and it is not within 30 days of a qualifying event, the same waiting periods under the late enrollment rules apply.
Unlike the County of Los Angeles active health plans, LACERA does not hold an annual open enrollment period. So you may change plans at any time, but your change is subject to the waiting periods.
Waiting Periods and Exceptions
If you enroll after either the initial 60-day retirement or 30-day qualifying event deadlines, the following waiting periods apply, unless you meet one of the exceptions.
Medical Plans
A six-month waiting period applies. After that, coverage takes effect the first day of the seventh month following LACERA’s receipt of your medical enrollment form. (For example, if LACERA receives your form in January, your coverage begins August 1). Coverage is continuous, and you do not need to provide evidence of insurability. Your current insurance coverage will continue until your new coverage becomes effective.
Exceptions
The general six-month waiting period is waived for certain situations:
- You move out of the designated service area of the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or Medicare HMO plan in which you are enrolled.
- You are currently enrolled in the Anthem Blue Cross Prudent Buyer Plan and move out of California.
- You change from your current non-Medicare health plan (Anthem Blue Cross I, Anthem Blue Cross II, Anthem Blue Cross Prudent Buyer Plan, CIGNA Network Model, Kaiser, or UnitedHealthcare) into a LACERA-administered Medicare HMO plan (Kaiser Senior Advantage, UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage, or SCAN) or into a LACERA-administered Medicare Supplement Plan (Anthem Blue Cross Plan III).
- You change from Anthem Blue Cross I into Anthem Blue Cross II.
- You change from Anthem Blue Cross I or Anthem Blue Cross II into Anthem Blue Cross III.
- You change from your current medical plan into SCAN.
Dental/Vision Plans
A one-year waiting period applies. After that, coverage takes effect the first day of the 13th month following LACERA’s receipt of your dental/vision enrollment form. (For example: If LACERA receives your form on January 15, your coverage begins February 1 of the following year.) Coverage is continuous, and you do not need to provide evidence of insurability. Your current insurance coverage will continue until your new coverage becomes effective.
Exception
The general one-year waiting period is waived if you move out of your Cigna Dental/Vision HMO service area.