- Retirees can keep health coverage through PEIA, and CPRB will deduct the premium from your benefit if you ask.W. Va. Code §5-16-13(h); 162 CSR 4 § 6.1.1, p. 7
- If you were hired before July 1, 2010, your PEIA retiree premium before Medicare depends on your years of service: for Plan Year 2027 the PPB Gold policyholder-only premium is $368 a month with 25+ years and $1,154 with 5-9 years. If you were hired on or after July 1, 2010, you pay the full premium ($1,412).PEIA Benefits Guide Plan Year 2027, pp. 43-44
- Tier I members can use unused sick and annual leave for extra service credit or toward PEIA premiums, not both. Employees hired on or after July 1, 2001 can't use leave for premiums.West Virginia TRS Tier I brochure (2023), p. 2; W. Va. Code §5-16-13(e), (f), (l)
PEIA premiums before Medicare, Plan Year 2027
PPB Gold plan, retiree only (no spouse or children), a month:
| Your years of service | A month |
|---|---|
| 25 or more years | $368 |
| 20-24 years | $474 |
| 15-19 years | $632 |
| 10-14 years | $899 |
| 5-9 years | $1,154 |
| Hired on or after July 1, 2010, or under 5 years | $1,412 |
Plan Year 2027 runs July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. Other plans, family coverage and tobacco status change the amount, and the rates change every year. Check with CPRB W. Va. Code §5-16-13(d), (e), (h), (l); 162 CSR 4 § 6.1.1, p. 7; PEIA Benefits Guide Plan Year 2027, pp. 43-44, Non-Medicare PEIA PPB Plan Premiums
Premiums change every plan year and depend on plan, tier and tobacco status.
Plan Year 2027 PPB Gold, policyholder-only figures, labelled with the plan year.
What would settle it: The current PEIA Benefits Guide.
Because the premium falls as your service rises, it's worth weighing with one more year. Premiums can rise while your pension stays flat (see COLA).
Two examples
- Hired 1998, 28 years of service: $368 a month (the 25+ band).
- Hired 2011, 20 years of service: $1,412 a month (full premium, hired after June 2010).
The rules
All retired employees are eligible to obtain PEIA coverage; the retiree premium is set by the PEIA Finance Board and CPRB will withhold it from the annuity on request. Retirees not yet on Medicare who were hired before July 1, 2010 pay a premium set by years of service credited by CPRB; those hired on or after July 1, 2010 (or retiring with fewer than 5 years) pay the full unsubsidized premium. Unused leave can instead buy PEIA coverage (one month per 2 days single, 3 days family; for those who joined PEIA after June 1988 it pays half the premium), but employees hired on or after July 1, 2001 can't use leave for premiums. W. Va. Code §5-16-13(d), (e), (h), (l); 162 CSR 4 § 6.1.1, p. 7; PEIA Benefits Guide Plan Year 2027, pp. 43-44, Non-Medicare PEIA PPB Plan Premiums
Medicare-eligible retirees have different PEIA plans and premiums, which aren't shown here. Ask PEIA. For using leave as service credit instead, see service credit.
Questions
Can West Virginia TRS retirees keep health insurance?
Yes. Retirees can keep coverage through PEIA, the Public Employees Insurance Agency, and CPRB will take the premium out of your pension if you ask.
How much is the PEIA retiree premium before Medicare?
It depends on your years of service if you were hired before July 1, 2010. For Plan Year 2027, PPB Gold for the retiree only runs from $368 a month with 25 or more years to $1,154 with 5 to 9 years. If you were hired on or after July 1, 2010, you pay the full $1,412.
Can I use unused sick leave for PEIA premiums?
Tier I members can use it for premiums or for extra service credit, not both. Employees hired on or after July 1, 2001 can't use leave for premiums.
Source: West Virginia TRS Tier I brochure (CPRB), September 2023, p. 2. Also: PEIA Benefits Guide, Plan Year 2027; W. Va. Code § 5-16-13; CPRB rule 162 CSR 4. Last reviewed .