Employee/Retiree Health Insurance

The County currently offers three health insurance options to its employees and retirees. Two of the options are HMO style plans administered by Blue Alliance and MVP Select Care. The third option is a traditional indemnity style plan administered by RMSCO, Inc with prescription card benefits administered by Systemed, LLC.

Retirees from Broome County are entitled to health insurance coverage, for a cost, if they have at least 10 years of full-time equivalent service, plus they participated with a county health plan for at least 2 of those 10 years. Coverage must be maintained continuously from the date of separation from service. The complete rules affecting retiree health insurance are available by clicking here (Rules).

Broome County offers its retirees and surviving spouses of its retirees to reduce the cost of their health insurance if they have a limited household income. Under the premium waiver/reduction rules, any retiree whose gross household income is less than $24,000 may receive their insurance at no cost. Surviving spouses of Broome County retirees may apply to receive their health insurance at a reduced cost, if their spouse retired before January 1, 2002. Surviving spouses of retirees who retired on or after January 1, 2002 are not eligible for the reduced cost program. (Form)

For both surviving spouses of Broome County employees and Broome County retirees the qualifying income for a reduction in their health insurance cost is a household income of less than $19,500 per year. The application is made on a simplified form issued by the Office of Risk & Insurance Management (Form). If approved, the waiver is effective from May 1 through April 30. Participants must apply each year for a premium waiver.