Only what the sources say Check with Montana TRS
Montana TRS has no retiree health plan and no connection to employers' health plans. A retiree who stays on a former employer's group plan may have the premium deducted from the monthly benefit (Form 117); Montana TRS sends it to the employer. Eligibility questions go to the employer. MCA 19-20-1101; Montana TRS web pages: Taxes and Deductions (Deduction of Employer Health Insurance Premiums) and Retirement Prep (FAQ on Form 117)
- Montana TRS has no retiree health plan. If you stay on your former employer's group plan, you can have the premium taken out of your monthly benefit (Form 117). Ask your employer about eligibility and costs.MCA 19-20-1101; Montana TRS web page: Taxes and Deductions
- To have premiums deducted, contact your former employer (not Montana TRS) and sign Form 117. Your employer then reports the premium, and Montana TRS deducts the same amount each month until the employer reports a change or the coverage ends.Montana TRS web page: Taxes and Deductions (Deduction of Employer Health Insurance Premiums)
- Because premiums are paid in advance, Montana TRS sends the amount it deducts to your former employer for the next month's premium. Questions about premium amounts go to the employer.Montana TRS web page: Taxes and Deductions (Deduction of Employer Health Insurance Premiums)
- Montana TRS can't deduct premiums for individual policies or other kinds of insurance, only your former employer's group health plan.Montana TRS web page: Taxes and Deductions (Deduction of Employer Health Insurance Premiums)
- Montana TRS warns that your pension and Social Security might not replace all your pre-retirement income once you count unknowns like health care and housing costs.Montana TRS web page: Saving for Your Future
Questions to ask your employer
- Can I stay on the group plan after I retire, and until what age?
- What will I pay each month, and does the district pay any of it?
- What happens when I turn 65 and join Medicare?
Budget the premium against your benefit in the calculator.
Questions
Does Montana TRS offer retiree health insurance?
No. Montana TRS has no retiree health plan. Ask your employer whether you can stay on its group plan after you retire.
Can my premium come out of my pension?
Yes. If you stay on a former employer's group plan, Montana TRS can deduct the premium from your monthly benefit (Form 117) and send it to the employer.
How do I set up the premium deduction?
Contact your former employer, not Montana TRS, and sign Form 117. The employer reports the premium, and Montana TRS deducts the same amount each month until the employer reports a change or the coverage ends.
Can Montana TRS deduct premiums for my own policy?
No. Montana TRS can deduct premiums only for a former employer's group health plan, not individual policies or other kinds of insurance.
Source: Montana TRS: Understand Your Benefits (web page) and fact sheets, Fetched Nov. 12, 2026; fact sheets revised 2019-2026. Also: Montana TRS web pages: Taxes, Deductions, Retirement Prep, Saving for Your Future; MCA § 19-20-1101. Last reviewed .