Current Retiree - Officers

As a retired Officer, you remain an important member of the Columbia University community. You and your family are eligible for various benefits—so be sure to take advantage of them.

Accessing Retirement Benefits

Columbia University is offering a new way to provide access to medical and prescription drug coverage for Medicare-eligible Officer retirees and their Medicare-eligible spouses.

We have partnered with Via Benefits to offer participants a wide selection of health care plans including lower cost options with coverage comparable to the current retiree medical UnitedHealthcare plans.

Via Benefits is the nation’s oldest and largest private Medicare marketplace. Participants will work directly with an experienced benefit advisor to provide personalized, unbiased support.

In addition, Columbia will offer a tax-free Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) if you enroll in a medical plan through Via Benefits. Additional Catastrophic Rx HRA funding is available for eligible retirees that may face out-of-pocket cost burden after reaching the catastrophic Medicare Part D threshold.

Learn more about Via Benefits.

Medical, prescription and vision benefits are available upon retirement if you have satisfied the eligibility requirements. To be eligible, Officers must be 55 years or older and have 10 or more years of service with the University, after age 45. Certain employment statuses do not apply to the service requirement; please contact the Columbia Benefits Service Center at 212-851-7000 or [email protected] for confirmation of eligibility.

Medical plan options vary based on your age at retirement:

Dental coverage is available upon retirement if you have satisfied the eligibility requirements. To be eligible, Officers must be 55 years or older and have 10 or more years of service with the University, after age 45. Certain employment statuses do not apply to the service requirement; please contact the Columbia Benefits Service Center at 212-851-7000 or [email protected] for confirmation of eligibility.

See details on dental coverage

Tuition benefits are available upon retirement if you have satisfied the eligibility requirements. To be eligible, an Officer must be 55 years or older and must have completed 10 years of continuous benefits-eligible service as a regular, full-time Officers on or after age 45 and must have retired immediately after termination of employment with Columbia University.

The following tuition benefits are available after retirement: College Tuition Scholarship (CTS), Primary Tuition Scholarship (PTS) and Tuition Exemption.

If you are in phased retirement, you will be treated as an active full-time Officer for purposes of tuition benefits until your date of retirement.

Learn more about tuition benefits for retired Officers

Whether you were receiving contributions from Columbia University to your University Retirement Plan or making contributions to your Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan (VRSP), the contributions end at retirement but your funds remain available.

Learn more about accessing your retirement funds

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a network of free or discounted services to support your personal success and help with everyday challenges, including child and eldercare issues and substance abuse support services. TELUS Health, formerly LifeWorks, is the EAP provider.