Duke Benefits - Dental Insurance
To continue to receive the dental insurance plan in retirement, all employees must meet the following criteria:
- You must be actively employed at Duke and participating in the dental insurance plan at the time of retirement. (Note - Dental insurance may also be continued for your spouse or same-sex spousal equivalent and eligible dependent children who are covered at the time of your retirement. If your spouse or same-sex spousal equivalent and/or eligible dependent children are not enrolled at the time of retirement, they may be enrolled during the open enrollment period.)
- Meet the eligibility requirements for your operating entity described below.
Eligibility Requirements for Duke University and Medical Center
You must meet the Rule of 75, which became effective July 1, 1990. It requires that your age plus years of continuous service with Duke at retirement must be equal to or greater than 75.
Note about Transfers: Employees who have transferred to the University/Medical Center from the Health System will not immediately fall under the eligibility rules for the University/Medical Center. After working 5 continuous years for the University/Medical Center, the eligibility rules for the University/Medical Center in place at that time will apply.
Note: If a faculty or staff member meets the retiree dental eligibility requirements and retires (early or normal), the retiree may suspend dental coverage and contributions at any time while employed and receiving benefits elsewhere*. Re-enrollment in the dental plan must occur within 60 days of the termination of other employer sponsored coverage. Proof of continuous coverage through another employer plan will be required. If the individual attempts to re-enroll after this 60 day period, the individual must pay the full premium retroactive to the termination of the prior employer coverage and up to the time of re-enrollment.
*Coverage under another plan available to the individual as a retiree of another employer, through a spouse's dental plan, or from service with the military does not count as an employee under another employer sponsored plan.
Eligibility Requirements for Duke University Health System (DUHS)
- Employees hired on or after July 1, 2002 with no break in service are eligible for retiree dental coverage if they have 15 years of continuous service after age 45.
- Employees employed by DUHS prior to July 1, 2002 with no break in service are eligible for retiree dental coverage once they meet the Rule of 75 (age plus years of continuous service).
Note about Transfers: Employees who have transferred to the Health System from the University/Medical Center will remain under the University/Medical Center eligibility rules if at the time of the transfer the employee met the Rule of 75 or had 15 or more years of continuous service as of July 1, 2002. Otherwise, the Health System eligibility rule of 15 years of continuous service after age 45 will apply.
Note: If a staff member meets the retiree dental eligibility requirements and retires (early or normal), the retiree may suspend dental coverage and contributions at any time while employed and receiving benefits elsewhere*. Re-enrollment in the dental plan must occur within 60 days of the termination of other employer sponsored coverage. Proof of continuous coverage through another employer plan will be required. If the individual attempts to re-enroll after this 60-day period, the individual must pay the full premium retroactive to the termination of the prior employer coverage and up to the time of re-enrollment.
*Coverage under another plan available to the individual as a retiree of another employer, through a spouse's dental plan, or from service with the military does not count as an employee under another employer sponsored plan.
Premium Payment
- You are responsible for paying the retiree dental insurance premium. Arrangements to have it drafted from your checking or savings account should be made with Human Resource Information Center. If you are receiving a retirement check from the Employees' Retirement Plan (ERP), the premium is deducted from your retirement check.
COBRA Continuation
- If you are not eligible for continuation of the dental insurance plan in retirement, as outlined above, you may be eligible to continue coverage as provided for under the federal COBRA law for 18 months. You are responsible for the full premium payment, plus an additional 2%.
- You will receive a COBRA notification by mail. Follow the instructions in the letter or you may contact our COBRA Administrator, CobraServ, at 1-800-877-7994 to enroll in COBRA coverage.
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