Can I keep my STRS Ohio Aetna Medicare Plan if I move out of state?

Yes. The Aetna Medicare Plan operates nationally, so coverage continues if you relocate. Your network access varies by state — some areas have a denser Aetna Medicare network than others. If you're considering a move, log in to STRS.AetnaMedicare.com and check the provider directory in your new ZIP code before relocating.

What happens if I accidentally enroll in another Medicare Advantage plan?

Your STRS Ohio Aetna Medicare Plan benefits will be cancelled the month the other MA plan takes effect. To get back on STRS Ohio coverage, you'll need to disenroll from the new plan (either through the carrier or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE) and then contact STRS Ohio about re-enrollment, which is subject to STRS Ohio's eligibility rules. Reinstatement isn't always automatic — if you missed your initial enrollment window, you may need a qualifying event.

Is the Aetna Medicare Plan the same as Original Medicare with a Medigap?

No. The Aetna Medicare Plan is Medicare Advantage — Aetna takes over claims handling, uses its own provider network, and applies its own coverage rules. With Original Medicare plus a Medigap policy, Medicare itself pays claims first, the Medigap policy fills in cost-sharing, and you can see any provider that accepts Medicare. Different structures, different trade-offs. The Aetna Basic Plan is closer to a Medigap structure but still group coverage, not an individual policy.

Can my spouse stay on STRS Ohio coverage if they're not a teacher?

Yes. Eligible dependents — including spouses and dependent children — can enroll in STRS Ohio medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage even if they're not STRS members. There's a separate premium for each. Once a dependent becomes Medicare-eligible, they switch to the Aetna Medicare Plan (or Basic Plan) on the same terms as the primary retiree.

Does STRS Ohio's dental and vision biennial enrollment really mean I have to wait two years?

Yes, unless you have a qualifying event like marriage, divorce, birth of a child, or involuntary loss of other coverage. Dental and vision are offered for new selection only in even years (2026, 2028, 2030...). If you enroll in 2026, you stay enrolled (and pay premiums) through Dec 31, 2027. After that, you can drop, switch, or stay enrolled in the next biennial window.

What if I want to leave STRS Ohio for an individual Medicare plan?

You can do this during Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period (Oct 15 – Dec 7). You'd select an individual Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan effective Jan 1, then notify STRS Ohio that you're terminating coverage. Be aware: leaving STRS Ohio is usually a one-way decision. You may not be able to come back if your circumstances change, so consult an independent agent and OSHIIP before making the move.

STRS Ohio and Medicare: Aetna Medicare Plan and Aetna Basic for 2026

On this page

Two plan options at Medicare eligibility
The Aetna Medicare Plan (PPO)
The Aetna Basic Plan
SilverScript handles your prescriptions
Premiums and the $30 Part B credit
Dental, vision, and biennial enrollment
Open enrollment timing
What to do at 65
Common questions

Two plan options at Medicare eligibility

Unlike OPERS or OP&F, STRS Ohio still sponsors group health coverage for its retirees. Once you reach Medicare eligibility, your plan options through STRS Ohio narrow to two: the Aetna Medicare Plan and the Aetna Basic Plan. Both are administered by Aetna; the difference is in cost-sharing structure and how they coordinate with Medicare.

The default after you submit proof of Medicare enrollment is the Aetna Medicare Plan — STRS Ohio enrolls you there automatically. If you want the Aetna Basic Plan instead, you select "AMA Opt Out" when you submit your Medicare information through your STRS Ohio Online Personal Account.

The Aetna Medicare Plan (PPO)

The Aetna Medicare Plan is a group Medicare Advantage plan (PPO). It replaces Original Medicare as your primary payer — when you go to the doctor or hospital, you show your Aetna Medicare Plan card, not your Medicare card. Aetna pays the bills and is reimbursed by Medicare.

Three things to know about the AMA structure:

Lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs than the Aetna Basic Plan. This is the cheaper of the two options for most retirees.
PPO network, meaning you can see any provider who accepts the plan, in-network or out-of-network — though in-network providers cost less. The network is national.
Member services: 1-833-383-4612 (TTY 711). Plan documents, including the Evidence of Coverage and Schedule of Cost Sharing, live at STRS.AetnaMedicare.com.

If you enroll in any other Medicare Advantage plan, or in any other Part D plan, your STRS Ohio Aetna Medicare Plan benefits will be cancelled. This is the most common mistake STRS retirees make — they get marketing from another carrier and accidentally disenroll.

If you have Medicare Part B only (not Part A)

A small number of retirees enroll in Part B without Part A — usually because they didn't qualify for premium-free Part A and chose not to buy it. STRS Ohio offers an Aetna Medicare Plan ESA PPO variant specifically for Part B–only enrollees. The benefit structure is similar but the federal claim handling is different. If this is your situation, mention it explicitly when you call STRS Ohio at 1-888-227-7877.

The Aetna Basic Plan

The Aetna Basic Plan is a more traditional medical plan that coordinates with Original Medicare rather than replacing it. Medicare pays first; the Basic Plan pays second, similar to how Medigap works but as group coverage rather than an individual policy.

The Aetna Basic Plan has higher monthly premiums and higher out-of-pocket costs than the Aetna Medicare Plan. Why would a retiree choose it? A few reasons:

You travel internationally or maintain a second home in a state where the AMA network is thin. The Basic Plan, layered on top of Original Medicare, gives you any-doctor flexibility.
You have specialists or hospitals you want to keep that are easier to navigate through Original Medicare than through a group Advantage plan.
Your spouse or dependents are not yet Medicare-eligible. The Aetna Basic Plan is the only plan available to non-Medicare STRS Ohio enrollees, so a household with mixed eligibility may keep everyone on the Basic Plan.

SilverScript handles your prescriptions

Prescription coverage for Medicare-eligible STRS Ohio enrollees is administered by SilverScript, a Medicare Part D plan and an affiliate of CVS Caremark. SilverScript is included in both Medicare plan options — the Aetna Medicare Plan and the Aetna Basic Plan. You should not enroll in any other stand-alone Part D plan while you're on STRS Ohio coverage. Doing so will cancel your STRS Ohio medical and prescription coverage.

For non-Medicare STRS Ohio enrollees, prescriptions are administered by CVS Caremark (not SilverScript), since CVS Caremark is the commercial-side pharmacy benefit manager and SilverScript is the Medicare-side equivalent.

Prescription benefits are summarized in the STRS Ohio Health Care Program Guide and detailed in the SilverScript Evidence of Coverage, both of which are mailed to you or available through your Online Personal Account.

Wondering if STRS Ohio's plan beats an individual Medicare Advantage plan in your county?A licensed Ohio Medicare agent can run a side-by-side: STRS Ohio premium vs. local MA plan premiums, AMA network vs. a competing carrier's network in your hospital system. No cost to you, and most retirees find the comparison gives them confidence to either stay or switch.

Find a Medicare Agent in Ohio

Premiums and the $30 Part B credit

STRS Ohio premiums for Medicare-eligible benefit recipients are further reduced by a $30 Medicare Part B premium credit. The credit isn't paid to Medicare directly — STRS Ohio applies it as a reduction to your STRS Ohio premium, with the practical effect of offsetting $30 of what you pay Medicare every month.

To see your actual monthly premium under the Aetna Medicare Plan or Aetna Basic Plan, log in to your STRS Ohio Online Personal Account or call 1-888-227-7877. Premiums are reviewed annually and announced before open enrollment.

You'll pay two separate monthly premiums as a Medicare-eligible STRS Ohio retiree:

Your STRS Ohio premium (deducted from your monthly retirement benefit, or paid directly), with the $30 credit already applied.
Your Medicare Part B premium ($202.90/month standard in 2026, higher with IRMAA), paid directly to Medicare or deducted from Social Security.

Dental, vision, and biennial enrollment

STRS Ohio offers optional dental coverage through Delta Dental and vision coverage through VSP. These plans are separate from your medical coverage and have their own premiums. You're not required to enroll in STRS Ohio medical coverage to enroll in dental or vision — you can pick either, both, or neither.

One scheduling detail that catches retirees off-guard: medical and prescription open enrollment is annual, but dental and vision open enrollment is biennial — offered every two years, in even years. So 2026 is a dental and vision enrollment year; 2027 is not. If you miss a biennial window, you'll need to wait until the next even year unless you have a qualifying event.

Open enrollment timing

STRS Ohio's open enrollment runs November 1 through the Tuesday before Thanksgiving each year. This is significantly earlier than Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period (Oct 15 – Dec 7), and it ends roughly two weeks before AEP closes.

The practical implication: if you want to leave STRS Ohio coverage to enroll in an individual Medicare plan, you need to make that decision and complete the new individual enrollment by Dec 7 — Medicare's deadline, not STRS's. If you want to change your STRS Ohio plan (AMA to Basic, or vice versa), the Tuesday before Thanksgiving is your hard deadline.

What to do at 65

If you're an STRS Ohio retiree approaching 65, here's the sequence:

Three months before your 65th birthday month, enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B at SSA.gov or by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. Enrolling early ensures Medicare is effective the month you turn 65.
Submit proof of Medicare enrollment to STRS Ohio through your Online Personal Account as soon as Medicare assigns your number. STRS Ohio needs this to switch you from the Aetna Basic Plan (or non-Medicare coverage) to the Aetna Medicare Plan.
Decide between the Aetna Medicare Plan and the Aetna Basic Plan. Default is the Aetna Medicare Plan; opt out by selecting "AMA Opt Out" if you want the Basic Plan.
Wait 3–4 weeks for ID cards. Aetna issues the cards, not STRS Ohio. You'll receive separate cards for medical (Aetna) and prescription (SilverScript). Dental and vision do not issue ID cards.
Do not enroll in any other Medicare Advantage or stand-alone Part D plan. Marketing from competing carriers is heavy in October and November — ignore it, or call STRS Ohio if you're unsure.