Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund

The Hawaii Revised Statutes 87A-23(4) requires that State and county retirees and their eligible dependents, who are enrolled in EUTF retiree medical and/or prescription drug benefit plans, must be enrolled in Medicare Part B when they become eligible. Active employees considering retirement who are eligible for Medicare should enroll in Medicare Part B prior to retirement to ensure that their Medicare Part B is effective on the date of their retirement in order to participate in any EUTF retiree medical and/or prescription drug plan.

However, Section 87A-23(5) allows the EUTF Board to determine which retirees and dependents may continue to participate in the EUTF retiree medical and/or prescription drug plans even though they are not enrolled in Medicare Part B. Under this exception, the EUTF Board has allowed the following to continue to participate in EUTF retiree medical and/or prescription drug plans even if they are not enrolled in Medicare Part B: (a) retirees that attained age 65 prior to the enactment of the law that required all eligible Medicare participants to enroll in Medicare Part B; and (b) retirees who are not citizens of the United States or lawfully admitted aliens who have not lived in the United States for at least five years and are ineligible to be enrolled in Medicare.