What happens to my benefits after I leave?

WHEN DO MY ACTIVE BENEFITS END?  

Generally, benefits terminate at the end of the month in which you last work your full-time benefit eligible assignment. However, there are important circumstances to note about some employee groups: 

Teachers who fulfill their contract through the end of the school year will retain active benefits through August 31st. 

Hourly school-year-only employees retain active benefits over the summer with the expectation they will return to a full-time position in the fall. However, if an employee resigns/retires/terminates from their full-time position over the summer, benefits terminate at the end of the month in which they last worked their full-time school year (benefit eligible) assignment. The last day of school for the 2025-26 school year is 6/9/26. Seasonal/summer work performed outside of a regular school year position (including summer training) does not extend benefit eligibility through the summer. 

WILL I HAVE THE OPTION TO CONTINUE ANY OF MY BENEFITS AFTER I LEAVE?  

Yes. If you are enrolled in medical, dental, vision, and/or life insurance at the time you lose eligibility for benefits, you will be offered up to 18 months of continuation of these benefits under COBRA. If you elect continuation of any of these benefits, you will be responsible for the full cost of coverage plus a 2% COBRA admin fee. Additionally, if you are enrolled in a Medical Flex account at the time you lose eligibility, you may be offered continuation through the end of the calendar year, depending on how much of your election you have accessed. Note: FSA access ends on your date of termination and you will have 90 days from that date to submit final expenses for FSA reimbursement unless you are offered and elect continuation through COBRA. Lastly, if you are retiring from the district and eligible to receive an annuity from TRA/PERA, you may have additional continuation rights for medical, dental, and vision insurance until you reach age of Medicare (65), the 2% COBRA admin fee may not apply to you, and you may have access to district contributions toward your premiums through your employment contract. 

HOW DO I ELECT COBRA/RETIREE CONTINUATION?

A week or two after your last day worked, you will receive your COBRA paperwork in the mail from Benefit Extras (952-435-6858) offering continuation of the benefits available to you. (Teachers retaining active coverage through August 31st will receive COBRA paperwork the first week of August.) You will have 60 days to make your election and return it to Benefit Extras. Coupons will then be mailed to you so you can make your monthly premium payments. Benefit Extras also offers ACH withdrawal as a convenient way to automatically pay your premiums each month. 

I HAVE AN INTEGRATED VEBA/HRA ACCOUNT. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE MONEY IN THAT ACCOUNT?

If you are enrolled in the Three for Free medical plan and receive monthly district contributions to an Integrated VEBA/HRA, you will see the account listed on your COBRA paperwork with an option to continue it through COBRA. IMPORTANT: DO NOT ELECT YOUR VEBA/HRA THROUGH COBRA. If you elect to continue your Integrated VEBA/HRA through COBRA, you will be charged a monthly “premium” to keep the account open and your access to the account will be limited to up to 18 months. If you do not elect your VEBA/HRA through COBRA, you can continue to access your funds until they are exhausted. 

I HAVE A POST-EMPLOYMENT VEBA/HRA IN MY EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT. WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT?

If you have received contributions to a Post-Employment VEBA/HRA while actively employed or if you will receive a deposit upon retirement, your Post-Employment dollars will become available to you the day after your term date. The dollars in this account can only be accessed for services incurred AFTER your employment has ended with Eden Prairie Schools.

HOW DO I ACCESS MY VEBA/HRA DOLLARS?

VEBA/HRA accounts are administered by a company called OneBridge (1-888-865-1628). You can access your online account by logging into portal.yourwaybenefits.com using the instructions that were mailed to your home when your OneBridge account was created. (If you have misplaced your login instructions, please reach out to OneBridge using the phone number above.) When logging in for the first time, you will be prompted to choose a Username and Password. You can use your OneBridge debit card to access your funds or you can submit claims online or through the OneBridge mobile app (HRAgo) to request reimbursement of eligible medical, dental, and vision expenses for yourself, your spouse, and any eligible dependent children. Supporting documentation is required when filing a claim and expenses must be submitted for reimbursement no later than 18 months from the date of service. Direct deposit is available for reimbursements to be placed directly into a checking or savings account. 

WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT VEBA/HRA ACCOUNTS AS I LEAVE THE DISTRICT?

• It is important to update your OneBridge online profile with your personal email address so you can be reached after your district email is turned off. 
• If you move, be sure to update your address with OneBridge. 
• While you are actively employed, the district pays the monthly administrative fee for your account(s). Once you leave the district, you will become responsible for the monthly administrative fee which is deducted from your account balance. 
• Employees have the ability to invest their VEBA/HRA dollars. Investment options can be found on the OneBridge website and investment fees apply. 
• Insurance premiums become part of the list of eligible medical and dental expenses allowed for reimbursement from your VEBA/HRA once you have left the district. Premiums must be paid with post-tax dollars and coverage cannot be obtained through the exchange (MNSure) due to the tax credit provided. 

WHO DO I CONTACT REGARDING MY OTHER RETIREMENT BENEFITS?

As a public employee, you likely contributed to Teachers Retirement Association (TRA) or Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) during employment. For questions related to your pension, please contact them directly. (TRA for licensed employees: 651-296-2409; PERA for non-licensed employees: 651-296-7460.) If you contributed to a Tax Sheltered Annuity (403b/457b) during employment, please reach out to your agent to discuss your options. If you wish to access your funds and a signature is required from the district, please refer to the Eden Prairie Schools website (listed below) for instructions. 

HOW CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO ME AFTER LEAVING THE DISTRICT?

The Eden Prairie Schools website contains a Benefit section which contains vendor contact information, plan documents, helpful Post-Employment benefit resources, annual Open Enrollment information, and important notices. To access this webpage, go to: 

www.edenpr.org > Staff > Benefits 

Additionally, if you are retiring, Human Resources hosts Retiree Benefit Meetings each Spring at which time you can learn a TON of helpful information about insurance continuation and VEBA/HRA account access. If you have missed the most recent round of meetings, the presentation is posted on the webpage listed above for your convenience and will remain accessible from year to year as you need to refer to the information.