In December 2011, the Georgia Department of Community Health Board of Community Health (DCH) adopted a new resolution affecting future retiree healthcare benefits. DCH administers Georgia's State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP). The resolution did not go into effect until January 1, 2017. This resolution drastically changes the subsidization of retirees' health insurance.

CLICK HERE to read the resolution and more info from the Department of Community Healthy.
 
Prior to January 1, 2017 all retirees received a 75 percent subsidy of their insurance premiums paid by SHBP. This same amount was paid regardless of the amount of service of the retiree. With the passage of this resolution, a structured system has been put in place, basing the amount of subsidy paid on the retiree's actual years of service.
 
As a threshold matter, it is important for educators to understand who is not affected by this resolution. Current retirees are not affected, regardless of years of service. Moreover, generally anyone who was eligible to retire on December 31, 2016 and maintained health insurance during employment is not affected, even if the educator remains employed in a public school system.
 
Those who are affected are those employees who were not enrolled in SHBP as of January 1, 2012 and/or did not have five years of service in a state retirement system as of January 1, 2012. For those planning retirement, this new resolution will affect those who may retire beginning January 1, 2017. An educator qualifies for retirement when he/she either completes 30 years of service in Georgia or completes 10 years of service and is at least 60 years old. Going forward, those educators who retire with 10 years of service will have 15 percent of their subsidy paid by SHBP. For each additional year of service completed, the educator will receive a 3 percent increase in the subsidy paid (for example, a retiree with 11 years of service will be subsidized at 18 percent). All educators who retire with 30 years of service will be subsidized at 75 percent, the rate for retirees prior to January 1.
 
Any educator considering retirement should feel free to contact the PAGE Legal Department at 770-216-8555 (metro Atlanta) or 800-334-6861 (outside Atlanta ) for questions regarding his/her health insurance subsidy.