It is important that you understand how re-employment affects your ability to access your HCSP account. If you return to work after termination or retirement you may have limited or no access to your HCSP funds.
Choose the option below that defines your employment status.
Example: Target Corporation, Best Buy, State of Wisconsin, etc.
You are eligible to request reimbursements from your HCSP account for medical expenses incurred after you left Minnesota public employment.
Example: Changing from state of Minnesota employment to city employment or from one school district to another district.
You can request reimbursement of medical expenses that occurred after you left public employment, but are limited to the account balance that resulted from that employment. Contributions to the HCSP that result from new employment cannot be accessed to reimburse expenses until you end the new employer.
Depending on the circumstances of your re-employment, you may have limited or no access to your HCSP assets. Considerations include the length of the break in service and your eligibility for employer-sponsored medical insurance. Contact MSRS and/or your employer to discuss your eligibility to request reimbursements.
Examples of a "previous" Minnesota public employer:
- Employee who returns to work under a State of Minnesota PRO Agreement or PERA's Phased Retirement Option and break in service is less than 13 weeks.
- Retired teacher who returns to work with his/her district as a substitute teacher.
- State of Minnesota employee who transfers from one state agency to another state agency.
- Minnesota State university employee who transfers from one campus/location to another campus/location.
- Employee who accepts a different job with same employer that results in a change in bargaining unit affiliation or retirement plan coverage (for example, change from TRA to PERA).
Rehired vs New Employee
Employees who return to work are classified as "rehired" or "new" for the purpose of accessing their HCSP account. It is important that you understand how your status impacts your ability to request reimbursements.
REHIRED EMPLOYEE
For the purpose of the HCSP, a rehired employee is defined as an HCSP participant:
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re-employed by previous public employer that sponsored their HCSP; and
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whose status as a terminated employee of the sponsoring employer lasted less than 13 consecutive weeks, or less than 26 consecutive weeks, if employer is an educational organization.
Generally, a rehired employee is not eligible to request reimbursement of medical expenses incurred after they return to work. Exception: If rehired in a position not eligible for employer-sponsored health insurance coverage, may be reimbursed with funds credited to the HCSP account prior to January 1, 2014.
A rehired employee can be a:
- full-time, part-time, or seasonal employees (regardless of the number of hours works)
- substitute teacher who returns to work with their former district (regardless of the number of days or hours worked)
- retiree who returns to work under the State of Minnesota post-retirement option (PRO) or PERA’s phased retirement option
NEW EMPLOYEE
For the purpose of the HCSP, a new employee is defined as an HCSP participant who returns to work with:
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employer they have not previously worked for (either public or private); or
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previous employer who sponsored their HCSP and their status as a terminated employee of that employer lasted at least 13 consecutive weeks, or at least 26 consecutive weeks, if employer is an educational organization.
A new employee may request reimbursement of eligible medical expenses from the HCSP account balance attributed to any previous Minnesota public employment. Any HCSP account balance attributed to the new employer/employment cannot be accessed until the participant ends that employment.