RIPEA sponsors group health insurance plans for members covered by Medicare. The insurance plans are through Anthem Insurance company and operate the same way as other supplemental Medicare plans. One of the insurance plans is a Medicare Supplement Plan N basic plan, and the other is the Comprehensive Plan a mirror of Medicare Supplement Plan F. These are excellent insurance plans that cover you anywhere you travel in the United States. They have been negotiated by an experienced insurance consultant retained by RIPEA. The premium for this coverage can be deducted from your Public Employees Retirement Fund (PERF) pension check.

Members who enroll in the Comprehensive Plan may also add the Value Plus Option which would enhance their coverage for certain routine expenses not covered by Medicare such as dental, vision, and hearing exams.

24/7 Nurse Line
Anthem Insurance plans for RIPEA make it easy to get care when and where you need it. They include a toll-free Nurse Line that is available 24 hours a day – 7 days a week to answer your health questions. Registered nurses help RIPEA members get answers about medical concerns and help them decide if they should go to the doctor’s office, emergency room, or urgent care. Members can also listen to short recordings on hundreds of health topics in the Audio Health Library. Only RIPEA members who have purchased one of our Anthem Insurance Plans are eligible for this benefit. For more information about this benefit, click on: 24/7 NurseLine. Anthem insured members must register at: www.anthem.com to be able to access the information from the Anthem website. To find information about registering, click on: Register on Anthem.

Discounts
Anthem Insurance Plan owners are eligible for Special Offers – discounts. These discounts include health care items, personal products and services (For example gym memberships) from major companies and over 20 other offerings. To read about the discounts available as of July 2018, click on: Special Offers – discounts.

Anthem Insurance owners who would like to read the most up-to-date list of discounts must register at: www.anthem.com to be able to access the information from the Anthem website. To find information about registering, click on: Register on Anthem. Once you are registered, login to the Anthem.com website and click on the “Discounts” tab.

When can you enroll in Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plans:

• Within 90 days of your 65th birthday.
• Within 90 days after your retirement date.
• Annual open enrollment in December of each year.