Retirement 

• CalPERS Non-Safety retirement: Classic employee 3% @ 60, PEPRA employee 2% @ 62
• CalPERS Safety retirement: Classic employee 3% @ 50, PEPRA employee 2.7% @ 57

Health Benefits

• CalPERS health insurance offering variety of HMO's and PPO's. District contributes 92% of the health plan premium and the employee is responsible for the remaining 8% of the premium. Dental and vision insurance are also paid by the District.

CalPERS 2025 Health Benefit Summary

Life Insurance

• $20,000 for the first probationary year and $100,000 thereafter.

Plans & Rates

CalPERS health plan options

Medicare information

What happens when I reach Medicare age (65)? 

CalPERS requires that you enroll in Medicare Part A and B.  Do not enroll in Part D.

• Medicare Part A (Hospital)  - Enroll in Part A if it’s premium free -You and your dependents may become eligible for premium-free Part A at age 65 with a work history of 10 years (40 quarters) with Social Security/Medicare-covered employment, or through the work history of a current, former or deceased spouse. If you're ineligible for Medicare Part A at no cost, you must complete and submit the Ineligibility of Medicare Certification (PDF) form to Calpers.
• Medicare Part B (Medical) - Enroll in Part B (it’s not free) and Metro Fire doesn’t reimburse for Part B premium -  If you do not enroll in Part B, or cancel your Part B coverage or stop paying your Part B premiums, you will lose your health plan coverage and will be unable to re-enroll until you provide documentation of Medicare enrollment.  Part B premium is your responsibility and it’s paid directly to the Social Security or automatically deducted from your Social Security check if you are collecting. Part B premium is set by Social Security and here is the link to the cost: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2025-medicare-parts-b-premiums-and-deductibles
• Medicare Part D (Prescription drugs) – DO NOT ENROLL

Do I need to enroll for anything else besides Medicare Part A and B?

• No, only enroll in Part A (if free) and Part B (not free). If you enroll in Part D, that will result in cancellation of your CalPERS health coverage and you'll be responsible for your prescription drug costs.

I have decided I do not want Medicare Part B benefits. Will this affect my CalPERS Medicare health plan? 

• Yes, you must have Medicare Part B to participate in a CalPERS Medicare health plan. If you cancel or choose not to enroll in your Part B coverage, you will lose your CalPERS health coverage.

Will I continue paying 8% for my health premium once I enroll in Medicare? 

• No, your 8% deduction will stop for your coverage, but if you have other dependents not on Medicare, you will continue paying 8% for their coverage.

Additional CalPERS information regarding Medicare.

Video - Medicare and Your CalPERS Health Benefits

Video - CalPERS Quick Tip | Medicare: General Overview

Video - CalPERS Quick Tip | Medicare: Eligibility and Ineligibility