Certain railroad employees who retire at age 60 with 30 or more years of service are eligible for major medical benefits and managed pharmacy benefits at no cost to the employee. These benefits are outlined in the Railroad Employees National Early Retirement Major Medical Benefit Plan GA-46000 booklet, which is available through your employer, your local union organization or United Healthcare. Eligible retirees include the following:

• Age Annuitant: An employee who has applied for a 60/30 annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act and who was covered for health benefits through his or her employer on the day immediately before the date on which the annuity application was made.
• Disabled Person: An employee who 1) had a current connection with the railroad on the date immediately before the earliest date the employee first became disabled and could apply for a disability annuity; and 2) has applied for such disability annuity or is receiving sickness benefits or is receiving a 60/30 annuity; and 3) who was covered for health benefits through his or her employer on the day immediately before the latest of the following dates:
  • The date the employee reached age 60
  • The date the employee became disabled to the extent that the disability is the only reason the employee is unable to work in his or her regular occupation or in any regular employment.
  • The date the employee’s railroad service plus his or her current period of disability equals 30 years.

If you are uncertain as to whether you are eligible to receive benefits under Plan GA-46000, please consult the Railroad Employees National Early Retirement Major Medical Benefit Plan booklet or United Healthcare, or .

This plan also provides major medical benefits and managed pharmacy benefits to the employee’s eligible dependents. Eligible dependents include:

• Your spouse
• Your unmarried children under the age of 19.
• Your unmarried children between the ages of 19 and 25 who are full-time students and who are dependent mainly upon you for care and support and who have their legal residence with you.
• Your unmarried children 19 or over who are dependent upon you for support and have a permanent physical or mental condition that began prior to age 19 and who are unable to engage in any regular employment and have their legal residence with you.
• Your children who are alternate recipients under a qualified medical child support order, including:
  • natural children,
  • stepchildren,
  • adopted children (including children placed with you for adoption, and
  • other children related to you by blood or marriage, provided the children have their legal residence with you and are dependent for care and support mainly upon you and wholly, in the aggregate, upon themselves, you, your spouse, scholarships and the like, and governmental disability benefits and the like.

If you are uncertain as to whether your dependents are eligible to receive benefits under Plan GA-46000, please consult the Railroad Employees National Early Retirement Major Medical Benefit Plan booklet or United Healthcare, or .

The following are exemptions to eligibility to participate in the Railroad Employees National Early Retirement Major Medical Benefit Plan:

• The employee will not be covered if a hospital association has made a commitment to the railroad to provide him or her with benefits similar to those under the Plan.
• The employee will not be covered while eligible for employee health benefits under The Railroad Employees National Health and Welfare Plan or The National Railway Carriers and United Transportation Union Health and Welfare Plan (or under any other group health plan or arrangement designated for this purpose by the National Carriers' Conference Committee).
• An eligible dependent will not be covered while the employee is eligible for dependents health benefits under The Railroad Employees National Health and Welfare Plan or The National Railway Carriers and Untied Transportation Union Health and Welfare Plan (or under any other group health plan or arrangement designated for this purpose b the National Carriers' Conference Committee).

Employee coverage under the Plan terminates on the earliest of:

• The date the employee becomes eligible for Medicare.
• The date his or her Railroad Retirement Annuity terminates.
• The date the employing railroad ceases participation in the Plan with respect to the class in which the employee was included while active.<
• The date the employing railroad ceases participation in the Plan due to failure to make the required contributions or for any other reason.

Dependent coverage terminates on the earliest of:

• The date the employee becomes eligible under Medicare due to age, or the date the employee would have become eligible due to age if the employee should die or become disabled before such date.
• The date the employee's Railroad Retirement Annuity terminates for any reason except death.
• The date the employing railroad ceases participation in the Plan with respect to the class in which the employee was include while active.
• The date the employing railroad ceases participation in the Plan due to failure to make the required contributions or for any other reason.

Individual dependent coverage terminates on the earliest of:

• The date the individual becomes eligible for Medicare.
• The date the individual ceases to be included in the definition of eligible dependent.
• If the individual is the employee's surviving spouse, the date he or she remarries.

Under certain circumstances, the Plan's benefits may continue to be payable after coverage ends. Please consult the Railroad Employees National Early Retirement Major Medical Benefit Plan booklet or United Healthcare, or .

For a monthly premium, railroad employees who are eligible for the Railroad Employees National Early Retirement Major Medical Benefit Plan GA-46000 have available a health insurance plan that will supplement the benefits. These benefits are outlined in Plan E of a booklet entitled Group Health Insurance Plans for Former Railroad Employees and their Dependents, Group Policy Number GA-23111. If you do not have this booklet, it may be obtained from your employer, your labor organization or from United Healthcare.

As always, if you have questions concerning the early retirement plan or Group Policy No. GA-23111, Plan E, you may .