How to Retire

Eligibility Rules for Windstream Retiree Health Benefits

• Age 55-with at least 20 years of service
• Age 60-with at least 15 years of service
• Age 65-with at least 5 years of service

Who Do I Need to Notify?

When you retire, you will remain enrolled in the Windstream Benefit Plans through the end of the calendar month in which you retire. Retiree and/or cobra coverage will start first of the following month after retirement. Coverage will be retroactive to the first of the month even if you enroll after the start date. Your benefits will be retroactive back to the 1^st if you enroll after the first of the month.

You’ll need to:

• Notify your Manager or Supervisor of your intent to retire and schedule your last date of employment.
• Notify your local Human Resources Representative of your intent to retire.
  

• Complete Medicare’s “Request for Employment Information” form if you are over age 65.
  If you are over age 65 and did not enroll in all parts of Medicare when you turned 65 because you still had Windstream sponsored medical coverage, you will need a completed Medicare Form CMS-L564 to enroll in Medicare at the point of retirement. This form verifies that you and/or your spouse had Windstream’s medical coverage until the point of your retirement and allows you to begin Medicare coverage without a rate penalty for late enrollment. The form can be found at https://www.cms.gov/medicare/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms/Downloads/CMS-L564E.pdf. Please complete your portion of the form and create a ticket in the HR Solutions Center to have the employer section of the form completed by the Benefits team and returned to you.

Which Benefits can I have in Retirement?

Your retirement benefits are determined by your current benefits as an active employee. The following plans can be carried into retirement if currently enrolled as an active employee:

• Medical with prescription
• Dental
• Vision
• Supplemental Life
• Supplemental AD&D
• Spouse Life
• Child Life