Congratulations on your retirement! If you are over age 65 or otherwise Medicare eligible, please view the information under the City of Houston's Medicare plans.

Waived Benefits

If you waived City of Houston medical, dental, or vision coverage before you retired, you and your dependents are not eligible to elect benefits .

Opted out of Benefits

If you opted out of your medical, dental, or vision coverage, you and your dependents are eligible to elect benefits in Open Enrollment.

Deferred Retirement

Deferred retirees are those employees who are vested in their retirement plan (HMEPS) and terminate within five years of pension eligibility. During deferred retiree status, you may pay the retiree premium contribution rate to retain coverage for the benefit plans in which you are enrolled (i.e., medical, dental, vision and life insurance). Deferred retirees must keep their coverage for the duration of their deferred status as any break in coverage will result in loss of that particular coverage. Deferred retirees must pay premiums via the benefits payment online portal.

Deferred retired employees are not eligible to participate in the Opt-Out – Opt-In feature of the medical, dental and vision plans until they meet the requirements to receive a pension. After the deferred period, they will then be considered service retirees and will qualify to opt-out.