Section 18A. (a) A retiree, spouse or dependent insured or eligible to be insured under this chapter, if enrolled in Medicare Part A at no cost to the retiree, spouse or dependent or eligible for coverage under Medicare Part A at no cost to the retiree, spouse or dependent, shall be required to transfer to a Medicare health plan offered by the governmental unit under section 11C or section 16, if the benefits under the plan and Medicare Part A and Part B together shall be of comparable actuarial value to those under the retiree's existing coverage, but a retiree or spouse who has a dependent who is not enrolled or eligible to be enrolled in Medicare Part A at no cost shall not be required to transfer to a Medicare health plan if a transfer requires the retiree or spouse to continue the existing family coverage for the dependent in a plan other than a Medicare health plan offered by the governmental unit.
(b) Each retiree shall provide the governmental unit, in such form as the governmental unit shall prescribe, such information as is necessary to transfer to a Medicare health plan. If a retiree does not submit the information required, the retiree shall no longer be eligible for the retiree's existing health coverage. The governmental unit may, from time to time, request from a retiree, a retiree's spouse or a retiree's dependent, proof certified by the federal government, of eligibility or ineligibility for Medicare Part A and Part B coverage.
(c) The governmental unit shall pay any Medicare Part B premium penalty assessed by the federal government on the retiree, spouse or dependent as a result of enrollment in Medicare Part B at the time of transfer.
Structure Massachusetts General Laws
Part I - Administration of the Government
Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions
Section 1 - Purpose of Chapter
Section 2a - Traffic Supervisors as Employees
Section 2b - Reserve, Permanent-Intermittent or Call Firefighters as Employees
Section 4 - Automatic Insurance of Employees; Election to Forego Coverage; Notice; Withdrawal
Section 6 - Employees to Furnish Information; Certificate or Booklet of Coverage
Section 7 - Premiums; Withholding, Contribution; Direct Payment
Section 8 - Dividends, Refunds and Rate Credits to Inure to Benefit of Governmental Unit
Section 9a - Political Subdivision; Contribution for Insurance Premiums of Retired Employees
Section 9b - Death of Employee or Retired Employee; Continuation of Insurance Coverage by Spouse
Section 9d - Insurance Premium Payable by Surviving Spouse; Contribution by Political Subdivisions
Section 9h - Divorced or Separated Spouses; Continuation of Group Coverage
Section 10 - Acceptance of Chapter by County, City, Town, Municipality or District
Section 10a - Purchase of Insurance by Public Authority Following Acceptance of Chapter
Section 11 - Schedules of Insurance Benefits; Establishment; Joint Participation; Administration
Section 11a - Additional Insurance; Application; Cancellation; Conversion
Section 11b - Insurance for Elderly Government Retirees
Section 11c - Optional Medicare Extension
Section 14 - Rules and Regulations
Section 16 - Optional Insurance for Services of Health Care Organizations
Section 17 - Election to Continue Insurance Coverages; Notice
Section 18a - Transfer of Retiree, Spouse or Dependent to Medicare Health Plan
Section 24 - Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts
Section 25 - Health Reimbursement Arrangements
Section 27 - Historical Claims Data
Section 28 - Joint Negotiation and Purchase of Coverage
Section 29 - Annual Report on Non-Medicare and Medicare Plans With Largest Subscriber Enrollments