Update to IMRF Notification Process

Please review the information below for the updated Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) notification process. Groups must submit notification to Health Alliance Enrollment within 15 days of the beginning of the retirement or disability period and verify that employees submit their enrollment applications within 15 days of receiving them.

Employer Responsibility: Within 15 days of the beginning of the retirement or disability period of any employee entitled to elect municipality continuation under a group policy, the employer must give written notice to the insurance company (notice should include the employee’s name, last known place of residence and the beginning date of the employee’s retirement or disability period). The group must also forward any premium to the insurance company via normal group billing processes. 

Health Plan Responsibility: Health Alliance must send an enrollment notification and the IMRF application (through certified mail with return receipt requested) to the IMRF member within 15 days of receiving notification from the employer about the employee’s retirement or disability period.

Subscriber/Employee Responsibility: The employee must elect coverage within 15 days of receiving the enrollment application. Electing coverage is defined as returning the enrollment application to Health Alliance Enrollment within 15 days of receiving the enrollment notice and application (this is a federal rule and is not set by Health Alliance). 

If the enrollment application is not returned to us (by certified mail with return receipt requested) within 15 days of receipt, the member will lose their right to elect IMRF coverage. 

Health Alliance is required by federal law to list the premium. Note that the premium is calculated when Enrollment is notified the member is retiring. Therefore, the premium may not reflect the renewal premium (even if the member will be active on IMRF after the renewal date). We’ll provide the estimated full premium in the IMRF cover letter and will assume the retiree pays 100 percent.

To learn more, review the IMRF cover letter and enrollment application. If you have questions, contact Broker Support at 877-917-8489 or BrokerServices@healthalliance.org. If your clients have questions, they can contact Client Support at 217-902-8151 or ClientSupport@healthalliance.org.