Are Goodyear retiree health benefits considered creditable for Medicare Part D?

Generally yes for current Goodyear retirees on the company's retiree health plan. Goodyear sends annual creditable coverage notices confirming this. Don't enroll in a separate Part D plan if your Goodyear plan covers prescriptions — it can disrupt the Goodyear plan. Save the annual notices for documentation if you ever need to demonstrate creditable coverage to Medicare.

What's the difference between SummaCare and Aultcare for Summit County residents?

SummaCare is owned by Summa Health (headquartered in Akron) and is networked at Summa Health hospitals and providers. Aultcare is owned by Aultman Hospital (headquartered in Canton, Stark County) and is networked at Aultman. For Summit County residents whose care is at Summa Health, SummaCare typically produces stronger in-network coordination. Summit residents who use Cleveland Clinic Akron General would generally prefer national MA carriers (Aetna, Anthem, Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Medical Mutual) or Original Medicare + Medigap.

Does the Summit County ADM Board provide services to Medicare beneficiaries?

Yes. The ADM Board funds community mental health and substance use services available to county residents regardless of Medicare status. Many ADM-funded providers also accept Medicare for billing-eligible services. Sliding-scale fees apply for services not covered by insurance. This is particularly valuable for Medicare beneficiaries with mental health needs that exceed Medicare's coverage or for whom Medicare provider options are limited.

Is there a Summit County senior services levy?

Yes. Summit County voters have approved a senior services levy that supports services for residents 60+ including transportation, meals, personal care, and home modifications. The levy is administered through Direction Home Akron Canton and partner agencies. Eligibility is generally income-based for personal care services; some general services (information lines, basic assistance) are available regardless of income.

Why is Summit County property tax so high compared to other Ohio counties?

Several factors: high-quality school districts in Hudson, Bath, Revere, Twinsburg, and parts of Akron require substantial funding through local levies; older housing stock requires more municipal services; and the strong municipal services in many Summit communities (libraries, parks, public works) reflect local levies. Summit's property tax rates aren't as high as Cuyahoga's worst districts but are higher than Ohio average. The Homestead Exemption helps 65+ homeowners offset costs.

Can I get an OPERS retiree health plan through OPERS Via Benefits in Summit County?

Yes. OPERS retirees in Summit County (state employees, county workers, City of Akron workers, OPERS-covered university staff, etc.) use the OPERS Via Benefits Connector to enroll in individual Medicare plans (Medigap + Part D, or Medicare Advantage). OPERS deposits a monthly HRA to reimburse premiums and qualified expenses. The plan options through Via Benefits include all major Ohio MA carriers and Medigap carriers. See our OPERS + Medicare guide for the full process.

Medicare in Summit County, OH (2026): Akron, Tire Industry Retirees, and County Services

On this page

Summit's tire industry retiree heritage
FirstEnergy, University of Akron, other employers
Summit County JFS — Medicaid and MSP
Summit County Fiscal Office — Homestead Exemption
Summit County ADM Board — mental health resources
Direction Home Akron Canton — OSHIIP
Common questions

Summit's tire industry retiree heritage

Akron's identity as the "Rubber City" produced the largest single-industry retiree concentration in any Ohio county. Major retiree groups:

Goodyear retirees — Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is still headquartered in Akron, with continuing employment plus a large retiree base. Goodyear's retiree health plan coordinates with Medicare and typically includes creditable prescription coverage. Save annual creditable coverage notices.
Former Firestone retirees — Firestone had major Akron operations through 1988, when the U.S. tire operations were sold to Bridgestone. Retiree benefits exist through successor arrangements; specifics vary by retirement era.
Former B.F. Goodrich retirees — B.F. Goodrich's tire operations were spun off to Michelin (UNIROYAL Goodrich Tire), then largely closed. Some retiree benefits continue through trust arrangements.
Former General Tire retirees — General Tire's Akron operations have been mostly absorbed by Continental General Tire. Some retiree benefits persist.
USW (United Steelworkers) retirees covering tire and rubber workers — multi-employer trust health plans coordinate with Medicare.

If you're an Akron-area tire industry retiree, your retiree plan structure likely depends on which successor entity holds the obligations and your specific retirement date. Some plans are creditable for Medicare Part D; others aren't. The annual creditable coverage notice from your plan tells you which.

Tire industry retirees and the Working Past 65 question

Many Akron-area tire industry retirees retired before 65 with employer health coverage bridging to Medicare eligibility. Others worked past 65 to maximize benefits. Either pattern creates Medicare coordination questions — particularly around when employer coverage ends and the 8-month Part B SEP starts. See our Working Past 65 in Ohio guide for the framework.

FirstEnergy, University of Akron, other employers

Beyond tire industry, other major Summit County employer-retiree groups:

FirstEnergy retirees — FirstEnergy's headquarters is in Akron. Long-tenured retirees have structured retiree health benefits.
University of Akron faculty (STRS Ohio) and non-teaching staff (OPERS) — the university is a substantial employer with structured pension-system-based retiree health coverage.
Akron Public Schools and Summit County school districts — teaching staff are STRS Ohio; non-teaching are SERS Ohio.
Summit County government — county workers are OPERS members.
Summa Health and Cleveland Clinic Akron General employees — hospital-based retiree benefits.
InvenTrust Properties, Sterling Jewelers, GOJO (Purell maker) — other notable Summit County employers.

For Ohio public pension retirees in Summit County, see our Ohio Public Pensions and Medicare guide.

Summit County JFS — Medicaid and MSP

The Summit County Department of Job & Family Services processes Medicaid applications, dual-eligible determinations, and Medicare Savings Programs. Apply online at benefits.ohio.gov or in person at JFS offices in Akron.

Summit County is in the first wave of Next Generation MyCare Ohio (launched January 1, 2026), so dual-eligibles can enroll in integrated Medicare-Medicaid coverage through Anthem, Buckeye Health Plan, CareSource, or Molina Healthcare.

Summit County Fiscal Office — Homestead Exemption

The Summit County Fiscal Office (which includes the Auditor function) processes Homestead Exemption applications. Apply online at fiscaloffice.summitoh.net or in person at 175 South Main Street, Akron. Application deadline is December 31 for the exemption to apply to the next year's tax bill.

Summit County property tax rates run higher than Ohio average — particularly in Akron's higher-millage school districts and in the eastern Summit suburbs (Hudson, Twinsburg, Macedonia). The Homestead Exemption typically saves $500-$700/year on a $200,000 home depending on your school district.

Summit County ADM Board — mental health resources

The Summit County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board (ADM Board) coordinates community mental health and substance use services for Summit County residents. For Medicare beneficiaries seeking mental health services beyond what Medicare directly covers, the ADM Board's funded providers offer sliding-scale care, group programs, and community-based supports.

Medicare beneficiaries in Summit County have access to:

Community Mental Health Centers funded through the ADM Board — Coleman Health Services, Portage Path Behavioral Health, Greenleaf Family Center, others.
Substance use treatment programs across the county.
Crisis services via 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline plus county-level crisis intervention.

See our Does Medicare cover mental health? for what Medicare covers; county-funded services typically supplement rather than replace Medicare benefits.

Direction Home Akron Canton — OSHIIP

The Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disability serves Summit, Stark, Portage, and Wayne counties. The agency is the regional Area Agency on Aging serving older Ohioans.

Beyond OSHIIP, the agency operates:

PASSPORT HCBS waiver case management for Medicaid-eligible seniors.
Aging and Disability Resource Network — central information line.
Caregiver support, meal programs, transportation coordination.

Reach the agency through 1-800-686-1578 (OSHIIP statewide) or directly at services1.org for Akron-area office locations.

Summit County tire industry retiree or Akron-area Medicare beneficiary?A licensed Ohio Medicare agent familiar with Goodyear retiree benefits, SummaCare vs Cleveland Clinic Akron General, and Akron-specific MA carrier landscape can compare your options. No cost to you.

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