FRS Survivor Health Coverage: State Group Insurance Continuation Options

Losing a spouse's pension income is devastating. Losing their health insurance on top of it — which is what happens by default if you don't act — can turn a financial shock into a medical crisis. If the deceased was a Florida state employee or FRS retiree enrolled in the State Group Insurance Program, you have continuation rights, but you have to claim them.

State Group Insurance Continuation for Surviving Spouses

Under Section 110.123 of the Florida Statutes and current State Group Insurance Program rules, a surviving spouse generally must have been covered as a dependent when the state employee or retiree died to continue coverage. The spouse has 60 days to notify People First of the death and 60 days after receiving the enrollment package to enroll. Coverage must remain continuous. This isn't COBRA; eligibility ends on the first of the month after remarriage, though limited COBRA continuation may be available.

The catch: you pay the full monthly premium, meaning both the employee portion and the state contribution portion. For retirees, the state often subsidized part of the premium. As a surviving spouse, that subsidy may no longer apply, so your monthly cost could be significantly higher than what your spouse was paying.

Contact the Department of Management Services, Division of State Group Insurance, to confirm your continuation rights and current premium rates. Don't assume the coverage will continue automatically — you need to affirmatively elect to continue, and there are enrollment deadlines to meet.

How HIS Offsets Health Insurance Costs

The Health Insurance Subsidy is a separate monthly payment — $7.50 per year of the deceased member's creditable service, with a $45 minimum and $225 maximum per month. It's designed specifically to offset health insurance premiums for eligible retirees and their surviving spouses.

To receive HIS, a surviving spouse or other eligible joint annuitant must be receiving a continuing monthly FRS benefit and maintain active health coverage. The HIS application (Form HIS-1 for Pension Plan survivors; Forms HIS-IP and HIS-IP-2 for Investment Plan survivors) requires proof of your health insurance.

A surviving spouse with 25 years of the deceased member's service credit receives $187.50 per month in HIS — roughly $2,250 per year that directly offsets your health insurance premiums.

Medicare Coordination

If you're age 65 or older, Medicare becomes your primary health coverage. Many surviving spouses continue state group coverage as a Medicare supplement, with Medicare Part A (hospital) and Part B (medical) handling the primary costs and the state plan covering gaps.

You must enroll in Medicare Part B during your Initial Enrollment Period or a Special Enrollment Period. Missing the enrollment window results in late enrollment penalties that increase your Part B premium permanently. If you were covered under your spouse's state plan and haven't enrolled in Medicare Part B, contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to determine your enrollment window.

HIS continues alongside Medicare — the two are separate. You can receive your state pension survivor benefit, your HIS payment, and your Social Security survivor benefit, all while being enrolled in Medicare and a supplemental plan.

Coverage for Non-State-Employer Survivors

Not all FRS members worked for the state of Florida directly. FRS covers employees of county governments, school districts, special districts, community colleges, and state universities. Each employer may have its own group health plan separate from the State Group Insurance Program.

If the deceased worked for a county, school district, or other local employer, contact that employer's HR department to determine what health coverage continuation options exist. The employer may offer COBRA-like continuation, a retiree health plan, or a health reimbursement arrangement that surviving spouses can use.

What to Do This Week

1. Identify the health plan — was the deceased enrolled in the State Group Insurance Program, a local employer plan, or a private plan?
2. Call the plan administrator — ask about continuation rights, deadlines, and premium costs for surviving spouses
3. File for HIS immediately using Form HIS-1 or HIS-IP — retroactive payments are capped at 6 months, so delays cost money
4. Check Medicare status — if you're 65+, confirm you're enrolled in Part A and Part B; if you're approaching 65, plan your enrollment

The FRS Survivor Benefits Guide includes a health coverage decision tree that maps your options based on the member's employer type, your age, and your current coverage, with the forms and contacts you need for each path.

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