When you retire and no longer qualify for Plan coverage through earned eligibility, you may qualify for the Senior Performers HRA Plan based upon your age and the number of retiree health credits you have earned. The Senior Performers HRA Plan provides you and your qualified spouse a monthly allocation you can use to pay for qualified medical expenses when you enroll through Via Benefits, EHIS or AHIRC.
What is a retiree health credit?
A retiree health credit is credit toward eligibility for the Senior Performers HRA Plan. Credits are earned through covered employment during a calendar year.
Prior to 2017, the AFTRA Health Plan and the SAG-Producers Health Plan had different rules for earning a retiree credit.
- SAG participants earned pension credits under the SAG-Producers Pension Plan.
- AFTRA participants earned one qualifying year for every year he or she qualified for health coverage.
How are retiree health credits calculated for SAG and AFTRA work prior to 2017?
To calculate your retiree health credits for the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan as of January 1, 2017:
- Look at the total SAG pension credits and AFTRA qualifying years you have earned throughout your career prior to January 1, 2017. (These numbers will be available in a letter that you will receive from us by the end of April 2017 or by logging in to your Benefits Manager.) We take the greater of the two totals to determine the base plan.
- Count any of the years in the other plan that do not overlap with the base plan years from 2009 to 2016.
- Add the base plan years to the years that did not overlap to get the total retiree health credits.
Using the example below, we add the 6 SAG pension credit base years to the 2 AFTRA qualifying years that did not overlap with the base plan to get a total of 8 SAG-AFTRA Health Plan retiree health credits.
How are retiree health credits calculated if there are equal years in SAG and AFTRA?
If you have equal amounts of years in SAG and AFTRA:
- Look at the SAG pension credits and AFTRA qualifying years you have earned throughout your career prior to January 1, 2017. The plan with fewer non-overlapping years between 2009 and 2016 becomes the base plan.
- Count any of the years in the other plan that do not overlap with the base plan years from 2009 to 2016.
- Add the base plan years to the years that did not overlap to get the total retiree health credits.
Using the example below, we add the 8 SAG pension credits to the 2 AFTRA qualifying years that did not overlap to get a total of 10 SAG-AFTRA Health Plan retiree health credits.
How can I earn retiree health credits now and in the future?
As you meet eligibility requirements throughout your career, you may continue to earn retiree health credits. As of January 1, 2021, if you earn at least $26,000 in covered earnings during the calendar year, you earn a retiree health credit for that year. The amount will increase to $27,000 effective January 1, 2022.