Coverage effective date is January 1, 2025.

Click to view the Open Enrollment Notice. 

Dental Insurance

Beginning January 1, 2025, Blue Cross Blue Shield will become the City's new dental insurance carrier. Click Dental for information and enrollment forms.

Life Insurance

Beginning January 1, 2025, The Hartford will become the City's new life insurance carrier. Click Life Insurance for information and beneficiary forms.

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INFORMATION SESSIONS

Come to an in-person or attend a remote* Open Enrollment informational session during the month of November. Learn about your health plan options as well as the new dental and life insurance plans.

HR staff, The Hartford Insurance Company, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Tufts (on November 8th and 19th) plan representatives will be available to answer all of your benefit questions.

November 8th, 9:30 - 11:30 am, Druker Auditorium, Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St. Newton (Presentations start at 9:45 am)

*November 13th, 11:00 am, Blue Cross Blue Shield will offer an Online Webinar to review BCBS Medex-2 with PDP and BCBS Medicare PPO Blue Freedom for our Medicare eligible retirees. BCBS will also review Dental Blue Freedom, the new dental insurance.

Registration is not required. Please join by clicking BCBS webinar.

*November 13th, 12:00 - 2:00 pm, Blue Cross Blue Shield phones staffed by representatives ready to answer your specific questions

November 14th, 9:30 - 11:30 am, Druker Auditorium, Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St. Newton (Presentations start at 9:45 am)

November 19th, 9:30 - 11:30 am, Druker Auditorium,Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St. Newton (Presentations start at 9:45 am)   

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Health Insurance Options

If you and/or your spouse are over 65 and are Medicare eligible, this is an opportunity for you to review all of the benefit plan offerings and determine which one best fits your needs. It is your responsibility to determine your Medicare eligibility if you are over the age of 65 and not currently enrolled in Medicare. If you and/or your spouse are under the age of 65 or are not eligible for Medicare, the open enrollment for medical health plans will take place in spring of 2025.

Please Note: If you are currently enrolled in a Medicare Eligible Retiree plan and DO NOT wish to make any changes, NO ACTION IS REQUIRED.

Click to view the 2025 Benefit Comparison Chart

BCBS Medex 2 with PDP

• BCBS Medex 2 remains our most popular plan among retirees, offering nationwide coverage with every provider that accepts Medicare.
• The BCBS Medex 2 plan comes with an integrated Prescription Drug Plan (PDP), providing essential coverage for your medications.
• If you are currently enrolled in this plan, and do not wish to make any changes, no action is necessary.

Tufts Medicare Preferred HMO

• This plan offers coverage limited to the following service areas: Barnstable, Bristol, Essex, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, and Worcestercounties.
• Medical and prescription with low co-payments. 
• If you are currently enrolled in this plan, and do not wish to make any changes, no action is necessary.
  

Medicare PPO Blue FreedomRx 

• Medicare PPO Blue FreedomRx provides a national network of healthcare providers, giving you the flexibility to choose the doctors and specialists you prefer for your medical needs.
• Benefit from competitive cost-sharing options, with $0 copayments for most services and no deductibles.
• Enjoy peace of mind with out-of-network coverage, providing you with essential healthcare services even when you travel or seek care outside the network.
• If you are currently enrolled in this plan, and do not wish to make any changes, no action is necessary.

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Click to view the 2025 Health, Dental, and Life Insurance Rates

 If you are currently on theTufts Medicare Preferred Plan and plan to enroll in either BCBSMA Medex 2 or BCBSMA Medicare PPO Blue Freedom RX plan, please be sure to complete a Tufts disenrollment form.

If you are currently on the BCBSMA Medicare HMO Blue plan and plan to enroll in the Tufts Medicare Preferred Plan or BCBSMA Medex 2 with PDP plan, please be sure to complete a BCBS disenrollment form.

Please Note: You will need to complete a separate enrollment form for yourself and spouse for all enrollments and disenrollments.

BCBS Medex-2 with PDP Website Call Member Services 800-262-2583	BCBS Medex-2 Summary of Benefits BCBS Medex-2 Enrollment form BCBS Blue Medicare Rx Summary of Benefits (Medex-2 Rx Plan) BCBS Blue Medicare Rx Enrollment Form 2025 BCBS Blue Medicare Rx Formulary 2025 BCBS Medex-2 Weight Loss Reimbursement Form  BCBS Medex-2 Fitness Reimbursement Form BCBS Medex- 2 with PDP Disenrollment Form
Tufts Medicare Preferred HMO Website   Call Member Services 800-890-6600	Tufts Medicare Preferred HMO Summary of Benefits Tufts Medicare Preferred HMO Enrollment form Tufts Medicare Preferred HMO Prime Rx 2025 Plan Highlights Tufts Medicare Preferred 2025 HMO Formulary Group Tufts Weight Management Reimbursement Form Tufts Medicare Preferred HMO Disenrollment form
BCBS Medicare PPO Blue Freedom                                       Website Call Member Services                   800-262-2583	BCBS Medicare PPO Blue FreedomRx Benefits Summary BCBS Medicare PPO Blue FreedomRx Enrollment Form BCBS Medicare PPO Blue Freedom Formulary 2025 BCBS Medicare PPO Blue Freedom Weight Loss Reimbursement Form BCBS Medicare PPO Blue Freedom Fitness Reimbursement Form
Blue Cross Blue Shield E-kit	Medicare Eligible Retirees Ekit

 

Wellness

As a reminder, all of our plans offer a $150 fitness and a separate $150 weight-loss reimbursement benefit.  You can submit for reimbursement for each calendar year, by March 31st of the following year.  Please call the Member Service number on your ID card or log on the plan website for more information.

ID Cards
If you are changing your health insurance plan during this open enrollment period, you can expect to receive a new medical ID card prior to January 1st.

If you are enrolling or if you already were enrolled in dental insurance, you can expect to receive a new dental ID card prior to January 1st.

Stay Informed

Do you want to receive up-to-date information regarding retiree health and wellness benefit information from the HR department as soon as it becomes available? Click the box below to sign up:

All enrollment/change forms must be received in the Human Resources Department or postmarked no later than November 30, 2024. All changes or terminations to your insurance plan(s) will become effective on January 1, 2025.

Questions? All members of the Newton Retirement System can contact City of Newton Human Resources at 617-796-1260. All members of the Massachusetts Teachers Retirement System (MTRS) can contact Newton Public Schools Human Resources at 617-559-6005.