Can we tell eligible employees about Medicare?

Q         Although we can’t force Medicare-eligible employees to leave our group health plan, can we offer education programs to let them know their options and the benefits?

A   You can offer education programs to Medicare-eligible employees, but you cannot incentivize enrollment. There’s potential overlap with Medicare and group health plans, so providing information on the subject would give employees the opportunity to better understand their coverage and make their own decision.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Social Security Administration are valuable resources for information you can use in these programs.

Jacob M. Monty is an attorney with Monty & Ramirez LLP in Houston, Texas. You can reach him at jmonty@montyramirezlaw.com.