The purpose of the Limited Retirement Health Care Bridge Program is to provide a mechanism whereby state universities may assist benefits-eligible faculty, unclassified professional employees, or university support staff who desire to retire before they become eligible to qualify for Medicare by contributing to the cost of the employee’s health care coverage.

Eligibility

1. Participation in the Limited Retirement Health Care Bridge Program is a privilege, not a right, and is strictly voluntary. The university CEO or the CEO’s designee and the employee must all agree that it is in the best interest of both the university and the employee for the employee to participate in the Program; this decision will be made on a case-by-case basis taking the employee’s appointment or job responsibilities, the timing of the request and other pertinent factors into consideration. 
2. Only benefits-eligible faculty, unclassified professional employees, and university support staff at the state universities who have completed at least 10 years of full-time service shall be eligible for participation in the program upon reaching 55 years of age. 
3. Employees participating in Phased Retirement pursuant to K.S.A. 2007 Supp. 76-746, as amended, and K.A.R. 88-12-1 through 8, as amended, are not eligible to participate in the Limited Retirement Health Care Bridge Program.
4. If an eligible employee's request to participate in the Limited Retirement Health Care Bridge Program is approved by the university CEO or the CEO's designee, the university attorney shall draft an agreement between the university and the employee.