What do I do when my spouse dies?
EXCERPT FROM Sacramento County's 2026 RETIREE BENEFITS SUMMARY HANDBOOK, Page 14, (bold text added for emphasis)
https://personnel.saccounty.net/benefits/Pages/default.aspx
SURVIVING SPOUSE OR DOMESTIC PARTNER COVERAGE In the event of the death of a retiree, the surviving spouse, or domestic partner, who will receive a continuing SCERS pension benefit may be eligible to continue medical, dental, or vision insurance benefits. Please contact SCERS at (916) 874-9119 within 30 calendar days of the date of death to determine if retirement benefits can be continued. A surviving spouse or domestic partner will also receive a COBRA continuation letter. Please ensure you are aware of which provisions apply to your situation. A surviving spouse or domestic partner beneficiary who is receiving a continuing SCERS pension benefit may add a newly acquired dependent to any plan within 30 calendar days of a qualified life event or at Open Enrollment. You must go to http://www.benefitbridge.com/saccounty to enroll in the medical, dental, and/or vision insurance plans or contact the Employee Benefits Office to receive, fill out, and turn in a paper enrollment form.
A surviving spouse or domestic partner that is not also a Sacramento County Retiree, may apply to be an Associate Member of SCREA by completing the SCREA Membership Application.
Does SCREA charge membership dues?Yes Dues for regular members are $2.00 per month. Dues for an Associate Member (spouse/domestic partner/surviving spouse) are $1.00 per month.
How do I change my MAILING ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER AND/OR EMAIL with SCREA?
The quickest and most efficient way is to go to your MEMBER PROFILE on this website. Simply click on the little blue icon at the very top left of each page on this website. You can make changes to your Member Profile as often as you want.
If you have any questions about your Member Profile or prefer to send an email requesting changes, please click here or here.
Or, you can click here to download, print, complete and mail a Change of Address, Phone or Email form to us.
And, don’t forget to notify the Sacramento County Employees' Retirement System (SCERS). This is very important, particularly if you still receive a paper check! Click here for the SCERS Member Affidavit Form. If you have any questions, contact SCERS at (916) 874-9119.
How do I get VSP vision plan benefits?
Review the Sacramento County website http://personnel.saccounty.net/benefits for more information:
How are Sacramento County retired employees' COLAs computed?
To learn more about how SCERS calculates retiree COLAs, please visit SCERS website at https://www.scers.gov/retiree-cola