Retired state employees are eligible to participate in the State Retiree Health Benefits Program administered by the Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM). After VRS processes your retirement application, you will receive an email from the Cardinal HCM system. The email will direct you to establish your account as a retiree in Cardinal and select your health insurance coverage within 31 days of your retirement date or waive coverage. You can sign up at my.cardinal.virginia.gov starting 45 days before your retirement date; however, your election will not appear in your myVRS account until your retirement date, or next business day.

If you defer retirement, you will not be eligible to enroll in the program; if you waive coverage, you will not be able to enroll at a later date unless you continue coverage through your spouse’s plan. For more information, visit the Department of Human Resource Management website.

VRS deducts the health insurance premiums from your monthly retirement benefit payment. If your benefit is not sufficient to cover the insurance deduction, you are billed directly by your health insurance carrier.

Canceling Your Health Insurance Coverage

You may cancel your coverage at any time after you retire by completing Part F of the State Health Benefits Program Enrollment Form for Retirees, Survivors and LTD Participants (A-10656) and submitting the signed form to VRS. Once you cancel, you cannot enroll again in the State Retiree Health Benefits Program unless you return to work in a classified position in a state agency, or are the dependent of an active state employee and covered under his or her state health benefit plan. Your cancellation also cancels coverage for your covered dependents.

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