How it works
HPRS finished moving Medicare-eligible members to an HRA and an individual-plan exchange in January 2022. Its 2025 report to the Ohio Retirement Study Council describes the setup:
- Get Medicare. HPRS counts as its Medicare recipients retirees and spouses who are 65 or older and eligible for both Part A and Part B, plus those under 65 who qualify through disability.
- Choose an individual plan through the exchange. A Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare Supplement policy, from what's available where you live.
- Add drug coverage if you need it. HPRS has no prescription plan for Medicare retirees, so pick a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage or a standalone Part D plan.
- Use your HRA. HPRS credits a monthly allocation that repays qualified medical expenses, including Medicare premiums and plan premiums.
HPRS has offered retiree health care since July 1974 even though state law doesn't require it, and its board sets HRA amounts each year based on funding. HPRS publishes the 2027 HRA allowance for retirees and surviving spouses on its Health Care Benefits page; the board raised it for 2027.
Part B and Part D
- Part B reimbursement: eliminated in 2017; the rule sets it at zero.
- Part B enrollment: Medicare Advantage plans and Medigap both require Part B, so plan on keeping it. Confirm HPRS's own requirements with HPRS.
- Part D: if you choose Medigap, you'll need a separate Part D plan or other creditable coverage to avoid a late penalty. For 2027, CMS data show 9 standalone Part D plans in Ohio.
Dental and vision are separate HPRS coverages; changes happen during HPRS's November open enrollment or after a qualifying event. Medicare plan changes for January 1 follow Medicare's Open Enrollment, October 15 to December 7.
Getting help
The exchange's advisors work for HPRS's vendor. You can also request a call from a licensed insurance agent or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048). If your plan is leaving your county, see Ohio plans ending in 2027. More in our guide to HPRS and Medicare and the five Ohio retirement systems.
Related questions
What happens to OP&F health care at 65?
Police and fire retirees.
How does the OPERS Medicare Connector work?
Another HRA exchange.
Does OPERS pay for Medicare Part B?
Part B help compared.
Sources
- HPRS — Health Care Benefits
- HPRS — 2025 Health Care Report to the Ohio Retirement Study Council
- Ohio Administrative Code 5505-7-04 — HPRS health care
- Medicare.gov — Avoid late enrollment penalties
More questions in this guide
- Can STRS Ohio retirees join a different Part D plan?
- Do federal retirees in Ohio need Medicare Part B with FEHB?
- Do Ohio teachers have to pay for Medicare Part A?
- Do OPERS retirees have to enroll in Medicare?
- Do postal retirees in Ohio need Medicare Part B for PSHB?
- Do STRS Ohio retirees need Medicare Part B?
- Does OPERS pay for Medicare Part B?
- Does SERS reimburse Medicare Part B?
- Does the Social Security Fairness Act change Medicare for Ohio public retirees?
- How does the OPERS Medicare Connector work?
- What happens to OP&F retiree health care when I turn 65?
Part of the guide: Ohio's public retirement systems and Medicare · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Does HPRS reimburse Medicare Part B?
No. HPRS eliminated Part B reimbursement in 2017. Its rule, OAC 5505-7-04(G), sets the reimbursement at zero for 2017 and later, though the HRA can repay Medicare premiums.
Who is eligible for HPRS health care?
Under OAC 5505-7-04, retirees whose pension or DROP began before November 1, 2023 are eligible; those starting on or after that date need at least 20 years of health care service credit. Disability retirees are eligible. Anyone currently employed by the Highway Patrol isn't eligible.
How do I reach HPRS?
Call HPRS at 614-431-0781. The Medicare exchange's customer service number is listed on HPRS's Health Care Benefits page.
Medicare in your Ohio county
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