HSTA VB Retiree – Eligibility

HSTA VB Plan options were created for HSTA retirees who were enrolled in the HSTA VEBA retiree plans prior to January 1, 2011. Membership in HSTA VB retiree plans is limited to only those currently enrolled and who maintain continuous enrollment under HSTA VB retiree plans. HSTA VB members must complete an EC-2H enrollment form if making changes.

Eligibility for coverage is determined by the Hawaii Revised Statutes and by the Administrative Rules adopted by the EUTF Board of Trustees. Requests for enrollments, terminations, and other changes must be submitted to the EUTF.

You may call the EUTF Member Services Branch at (808) 586-7390 or toll-free at 1-800-295-0089 or email your inquiry to [email protected].

Retiree Eligibility

The following persons are eligible to enroll in the benefit plans offered or sponsored by the EUTF for Retirees:

  • A retired employee. You do not need to be covered under an EUTF Active Employee Plan at the time of retirement to be eligible to enroll in the EUTF retiree plans. Membership in the HSTA VB retiree plans is limited to only those currently enrolled and who maintain continuous enrollment.
  • The surviving spouse, Domestic Partner or Civil Union Partner (DP/CUP) of a deceased retired employee, provided the spouse or DP/CUP does not remarry or enter into another domestic or civil union partnership.
  • The unmarried child of a deceased retired employee provided the child is under age 19 or under age 24 provided they are full-time students attending an accredited school, college, university or technical school, with no surviving parent.

NEWLY RETIRED EMPLOYEES

Newly retired employees enrolled under HSTA VB active plans cannot enroll in HSTA VB retiree plans upon their retirement and MUST enroll in EUTF retiree health plan options.

Dependent Eligibility

The following persons are eligible for coverage as dependents in the benefit plans offered or sponsored by the EUTF for Retirees:

  • The Retiree’s legal Spouse, Domestic Partner or Civil Union Partner(DP/CUP).
    • Note: A spouse or partner who is eligible for Medicare must be enrolled in Medicare Part B to be covered by an EUTF retiree medical and/or prescription drug plan.
  • You or your spouse’s or DP’s/CUP’s unmarried children under age 19. This includes children by birth, marriage or adoption. Dependent children by legal guardianship are covered to age 18.
  • You or your spouse’s or DP/CUP’s unmarried children between the ages of 19-23 provided they are full-time students attending an accredited school, college, university or technical school. This includes children who are away at school and dependent upon you for support.
  • Coverage can be continued for an unmarried child incapable of self-support due to mental/physical incapacity that existed prior to age 19.
  • Child covered by terms of a qualified medical child support order (QMCSO) provided they meet EUTF’s other qualifications.
The Affordable Care Act, including the dependent eligibility provisions extending coverage to age 26, does not apply to retiree-only plans such as the EUTF retiree plans. For more information on this, please visit Healthcare.gov.

Domestic Partner

A person in a spouse-like relationship with an employee-beneficiary who meets the following requirements:

  1. Intend to remain in a domestic partnership with each other indefinitely.
  2. Have a common residence and intend to reside together indefinitely.
  3. Jointly and severally responsible for each other’s basic living expenses incurred in the domestic partnership such as food, shelter and medical care.
  4. Neither are married or a member of another domestic partnership.
  5. Not related by blood in a way that would prevent them from being married to each other in the State of Hawaii.
  6. Both at least 18 years of age and mentally competent to contract.
  7. Consent to the domestic partnership has not been obtained by force, duress or fraud.
  8. Both sign and file a notarized declaration of domestic partnership (affidavit) with the EUTF.

Civil Union Partner

A person who has entered into a civil union with an employee-beneficiary under the rules established by the State Department of Health. Documentation of the civil union must be provided with the application to enroll.

Learn more about domestic partner/civil union enrollments.

Tax Effects

There may be Federal and State Income Tax consequences with employer paid coverage for domestic partners. There may be Federal Income Tax consequences with employer paid coverage for civil union partners. If your domestic partner does not qualify as your dependent for tax purposes, a portion of the premium paid for your domestic partner will be deemed taxable income and reported to you on the appropriate federal and state tax form. If your civil union partner does not qualify as your dependent for tax purposes, a portion of the premium paid for your civil union partner will be deemed taxable income and reported to you on the appropriate federal tax form. Consult your tax advisor to determine your domestic or civil union partner’s status. If you determine that your domestic or civil union partner is a dependent, submit a completed Affidavit of “Dependency” for Tax Purposes, available on the HSTA VB retiree forms page.

Note: The enrollment of HSTA VEBA members into the health plans created as a result of Judge Sakamoto’s decision in the Gail Kono lawsuit was done to comply with that decision and not to create any constitutional or contractual right to the benefits provided by those plans. Please note that the State has appealed the decision and reserves the right to move former HSTA VEBA members into regular EUTF plans if that decision is overturned or modified.