Kaiser Permanente Pension Benefits Overview

Disclaimer: Kaiser Permanente operates in nine different states.  Although there will be many similarities regarding the KP pensions, each state will have slight differences as well.  Even within a state like California with the Northern CA Region, Central CA Region, and Southern CA Region there will be slight differences amongst those pensions. 

To provide an overview of the KP pensions, common terms used, and a base understanding of the pension formulas, several KP pensions will be discussed from The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG), Kaiser Permanente Employee Pension Plan (KPEPP), Kaiser Permanente Salaried Retirement Plan (KPSRP), and Southern CA Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG).

Kaiser Permanente Pension Benefits Plan

The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG) Physicians

Retirement and Savings Plans

Pension Plan (Plan 1)

Your Pension Plan (Plan 1) is a defined benefit plan that pays a monthly benefit amount to you at retirement based upon the formula described on the right. 

Membership and Vesting Service

You will automatically become a member of Plan 1 effective your first employment anniversary date, provided you completed 1,000 hours of vesting service during that year. You will vest in the plan after completion of five years of vesting service (a calendar year in which you were compensated 1,000 hours or more).

Retirement Age and Years of Service

Normal retirement is age 65, however, a reduced benefit may be received earlier, if eligible. A physician with 30 years of credited service at age 65 would be entitled to 50% of their highest average compensation.

Highest Average Compensation (HAC)

Retirement income is calculated based on your HAC which is the 36 highest paid consecutive months with TPMG over your entire service period and includes both base pay and annual incentive payment multiplied by your years of credited service. 

Full Early Retirement Plan

The Full Early Retirement Plan gives you the option to begin receiving benefits as early as age 60 without actuarial reduction for payment before age 65. To be eligible for this plan, you must be at least age retirement age and have completed 15 years or more of vesting service before your retirement date in your city, your state.*

Credited Service

Credited service begins on your date of hire and is based on 2,000 hours of compensated service each calendar year. Proportional credited service is granted for years in which compensated service is less than 2,000 hours. 

Benefit Formula

2% of Highest Average Compensation (HAC) per year during first 20 years of credited service, and 1% per year thereafter. 

Payment Options

Life annuity, joint and survivor annuity, period certain, or installments.

Permanente Contribution Plan (Plan 2)

TPMG contributes to Plan 2 based upon your eligible compensation (base compensation plus bonus) each pay period. Plan 2 contributions are equal to 5% of the amount of eligible compensation you receive up to the Social Security Wage Base (SSWB) plus 10% of your eligible compensation over the SSWB up to the maximum IRS compensation limit. 

For 2025, the SSWB limit is $176,100.  The limit on the amount of compensation that can be taken into account when determining contributions and benefits in retirement plans is $350,000 for calendar year 2025. 

Plan 2 contributions begin the first of the month following the completion of 1,000 hours of service within an anniversary year.

Salary Deferral Plan 401k (Plan 3)

Your 401k contributions can be made on a pre-tax or Roth (post-tax) basis. You choose how you want to invest your savings. You can elect to contribute on a pre-tax or post-tax basis.

Contributions are subject to annual IRS and other limits as shown in the table below.

Contributions can begin the first of the month following your date of hire. If you do not make an election within 30 days of your hire date, you will be automatically enrolled at an employee pre-tax contribution rate of 6%. If you were automatically enrolled at 6% and do not make a change, your contribution percentage will increase by 1% on your anniversary date each year up to a maximum of 15%.

TPMG (physicians) Pension Plan 2 (2025 maximum)

Sample KP Pension Calculations

TPMG (Salaried Employees)

Kaiser Permanente Employee Pension Plan (KPEPP)

(nurses and other applicable KP work groups)

Defined Benefit Pension

Overview

The pension benefit is based on a formula using an average of your hourly wage rate, your length of credited service, a pension multiplier, and your age at retirement in your state.

Requires vesting - fully vested after five years of service

Year of service defined as 1,000 paid hours in a calendar year, prorated for less than 1,000 hours (depends on group, see page 8)

All KP paid hours in any job classification, in any KP region of your city.

All KP paid hours in any job classification, in any KP region

Breaks in service allowed; issue of tracking multiple periods of employment

Up to a maximum of 1,000 hours of Workers’ Compensation Leave of Absence (WCLOA) taken on/after 10/1/2000 may count toward years of service for retirement and post-retirement benefit eligibility in the retirement age. WCLOA hours do not count as credited service or toward eligibility for any other benefits.

After vesting, entitled to future benefit payment even if leaving before normal or early retirement age

Normal retirement at age 65 Early retirement option at age 55 with minimum 15 years of service (depends on group, see page 8)

Multiple forms of annuity payments and a lump sum option

Defined Benefit Pension

How Pension Benefit Is Calculated

A pension benefit multiplier of 1.45% (depends on group, see below)

Multiplier defines income replaced by pension payment

Year of credited service

Defined as 1,800 paid hours in a calendar year (depends on group, see below)

Partial years of credited service for calendar years with less 
than 1,800 paid hours (depends on group, see below)

For all calendar years prior to 2003, year of credited service 
was 2,000 paid hours (depends on group, see below)

Final Average Monthly Compensation (FAMC)

FAMC calculated by averaging your highest hourly wage rates 
taken over a consecutive 60 month period from your last 120 months of employment. Typically the average will be over 
your last five years of employment given how wage grids are 
constructed

60-month average uses your base hourly rate only - no 
ACP/Per Diem/other differentials apply

Multiplying 60-month average rate by 173.3 hours equals your 
FAMC. 173.3 is average number of hours a full-time employee 
is paid per month (2,080 hours/12months).

How Pension Benefit Is Calculated:

Final Average Monthly Compensation
multiplied by
Years of credited service
multiplied by
Pension benefit multiplier

Defined Benefit Pension Plan Features, By Group

Kaiser Permanente Pension Benefits Plan

Southern CA Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG)

Defined Benefit Pension Plan (Common Plan)

This plan is offered to physicians and corporate officers only. 

There are two types of service that affect the Common Plan:

• Qualifying Service = at least 10 years (part-time / full time) 

• Credited Service is time counted to determine the amount of retirement income. It is generally calculated the same as Qualifying Service, but is prorated to work schedule. For example, if you work an 8/10ths work schedule for 10 years, you would have 10 years of Qualifying Service, but only 8 years of Credited Service.

In addition to Credited Service, a physician’s Highest Average Compensation (HAC) is used in the benefit calculation. HAC is the average monthly base compensation for the highest 36 consecutive months of the last 120 months as an eligible physician.

The formula to determine the Common Plan benefit amount is: 

2% of HAC (up to 20 years) + 1% of HAC (over 20 years)

Example: The benefit amount for an age 65 physician with a HAC of $15,000 and 30 years of Credited Service 
would be calculated as follows:

(2% x $15,000 x 20 years) + (1% x $15,000 x 10 years) = $7,500 per month*

* The benefit amount of the payment will be actuarially adjusted if you begin payment before or after age 65 and/or select a payment option other than lifetime monthly payments

SCPMG Physicians’ 401(k) Plan

Eligibility is 6 months of service Per Diem counts towards this enrollment period. These contributions that you self direct can be pre-tax or post-tax (Roth) which you self direct within the investment options available in your plan.

SCPMG Keogh Plan

Upon attaining Partnership, physicians are eligible to contribute to the Keogh Plan. This plan allows Partners to make tax-deductible contributions to a retirement plan which accrues tax-deferred earnings until distributed from the plan upon retirement from the Partnership. 

Even though your contributions do not begin until you attain Partnership, you must elect to participate (or not participate) in the Keogh Plan within 180 days from your date of hire. Any service time attained as a Per Diem applies towards this enrollment period. 

Electing to participate in the Keogh Plan is an irrevocable commitment to make an annual contribution of the amount required for the selected level of participation. You will receive only one opportunity to make an election to participate – if you elect to not participate by your 180th day of employment, you will not be able to commence participation at a later date.

If you elect to participate in the Keogh plan, you may select from four contribution levels: 100%, 70%, 50% or 25%. Changes in the contribution level or participation status are not permitted once an election has been made. At the end of each year, an actuarial firm determines the next year’s contribution limit. A physician’s participation level dictates the percentage of the annual contribution limit that the physician will contribute. 

The IRS sets an annual limit for combined contributions to a defined contribution plan. In other words, 
there is a limit on your combined TSR-401(k) and Keogh contributions.

Early Separation Program (ESP)

This program allows Partners between the ages of 58 and 65 an opportunity to retire early and receive a temporary annuity until the normal retirement age of 65. ESP requires one year of advance approval by the SCPMG Board of Directors.

Kaiser Permanente Pension Benefits Plan

KFH (Southern California)

Securing Your Future 

Part 1: Kaiser Permanente Tax Sheltered Annuity (TSA) Plan or Southern California Permanente Medical Group Tax Savings Retirement (TSR) Plan

Save for retirement through pre-tax or Roth after-tax contributions, or both. You choose investment options for your savings. 

You’re enrolled automatically at a 2 percent contribution unless you opt out. 
Your contribution increases by 1 percent per year up to 6 percent unless you opt out. 
You’re immediately 100 percent vested in your contributions to your account. 
TSR is for Southern California Permanente Medical Group employees; TSA is for Kaiser Foundation Hospitals employees. 

Part 2: Kaiser Permanente Supplemental Savings and Retirement Plan 

After 2 years of service, Kaiser Permanente contributes 5 percent of your base salary to this plan. You can also make after-tax contributions and choose your investment options. You’re immediately 100 percent vested in contributions to your account. 

Kaiser Permanente Retirement Plan 

Part 3: This defined benefit pension plan provides retirement income based on your compensation and years of service when you retire. Kaiser Permanente makes all contributions to this plan. You are vested in the plan after 5 years of service. 

Retiree Benefits You may be eligible for retiree health benefits when you retire, depending on your age and years of service at retirement. 

Financial Wellness 

Life and Accident Insurance 

Life and accident insurance protect your loved ones in the event of a serious injury or death. Some of these benefits are optional, and others are included at no cost to you: 

Employee Life Insurance — coverage of 2 times your annual salary or a maximum of $50,000, at no cost to you 
Optional Life Insurance — coverage of up to $1 million 
Dependent Life Insurance — coverage of up to $100,000 for your spouse or domestic partner, and up to $10,000 for eligible children 
Accidental Death and Dismemberment — coverage for yourself of up to $350,000, and coverage for your spouse or domestic partner and children 
Cost depends on the options you choose 
Business Travel Accident — coverage provided at no cost to you
Survivor Assistance — one times your monthly base salary, at no cost to you 

Disability Income 

Disability benefits provide income in the event you’re unable to work for an extended period 
because of a serious illness or injury.

KFH (Southern CA) Example

Kaiser Permanente Pension Benefits Plan

KFH (Northern California)

There are three parts to the Northern California KFH plan. This is for Salaried non union employees at Kaiser Permanente which is include Pharmacists.

Part 1: Kaiser Permanente Tax Sheltered Annuity Plan (TSA) 

This plan has eligibility (immediate), matching starts after 2 years of employment and its 2% of your salary up to the social security wage base limit and then an additional 5% on salary above this limit.

Part 2: Kaiser Permanente Supplemental Savings and Retirement Plan 

This is a qualified plan where the employer contributes 5% of an employees base salary to the after two years of service with the company. The employee can add after tax contributions into the plan and the employer contribution is immediately vested.

Part 3: Kaiser Permanente Salaried Retirement Plan

This plan is the Pension (defined benefit plan and the company contributes into the plan based on a formula of FAP (last 10 years of employment and the average of the 60 highest consecutive months) multiplied by a pension multiplier of 1.5 minus age penalties of 5% for retirement between the ages of 55-60 and 3% between the ages of 60-65.

Retiree Benefits

You may be eligible for retiree health and welfare benefits when you retire if you meet certain age and years of service requirements.

Other Benefits

Employee Assistance Program

This program provides free and confidential counseling for personal issues, as well as referrals for child and elder care.

Parent Medical Coverage

Your Medicare-eligible parents, stepparents, parents-in-law, or parents of your domestic partner may have an opportunity to enroll in Kaiser Permanente medical coverage at their own expense.

Voluntary Programs

You may enroll in Benefits by Design Voluntary Programs at your own expense if you are regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week. Programs offered include long-term care, term life, pet, auto, and home insurance, as well as legal services and identity theft protection.

Tuition Reimbursement

Tuition Reimbursement helps you continue your education in subjects that will improve your job performance, potential for advancement, and employability. You can be reimbursed up to $3,000 per calendar year for expenses such as tuition and textbooks, including up to $500 for travel expenses.

Additional Resources

As a Kaiser Permanente employee, you also have access to:

• - Career and development opportunities to help you grow your skills and career, including professional development courses through KP Learn.

• - Opportunities to volunteer in communities that we serve.

• - Employee discounts on entertainment, travel, child care, health and fitness programs, electronics, and more. You also receive discounts on over-the-counter medications and other products purchased from a KP pharmacy.

• - Healthy Workforce resources and tools to help you be active, eat well, and thrive. If your region meets the Total Health Incentive Plan’s goals for employees to adopt a healthier lifestyle, you may also have a chance to earn up to $500 per year.

•  

KP Pension Distribution Options

Please Note: each KP pension varies; options listed below may not be available with your pension. 

Standard Forms of Payment

If you are single: the standard form of payment is the Single Life Annuity.

If you are married: your spouse is entitled by federal law to receive benefits, so your standard form of payment is the 50 percent Joint and Survivor Annuity. Therefore, you are legally required to obtain your spouse’s consent to elect other forms of payment. The consent must be in writing and notarized no more than 90 days before the
benefits begin.

Available Forms of Payment

• Lump Sum: Under this option, you receive a one-time lump sum amount. After you receive the Lump Sum
payment, there are no more payments due under the plan. The Lump Sum can be rolled over into a traditional
IRA, Roth IRA or another employer’s qualified plan, if that plan accepts rollovers.

• Single Life Annuity: Under this option, you receive a monthly pension benefit until your death. However, all
pension payments stop when you die regardless of marital status. This is the standard form of payment if you
are not married (as defined by federal law) on your Benefit Commencement Date.

• 50 percent, 66 2/3 percent, and 75 percent Joint and Survivor Annuities: Under this option, you receive a
reduced monthly benefit until your death. If you die before your beneficiary, 50 percent, 662/3 percent, or 75percent (as elected by you) of the amount you receive will then be paid to your beneficiary as long as he or she lives. However, if your beneficiary dies before you, your monthly benefit will be reduced to the 50 percent, 66 2/3rds percent, or 75 percent survivor benefit for the rest of your lifetime after your beneficiary's death. This option requires the designation of one person as your beneficiary, and after your payments begin, you cannot change your beneficiary. The 50 percent Joint and Survivor Annuity is the standard form of payment if you are married (as defined by federal law). If you are married, you must select this form of payment with your spouse as your beneficiary unless your spouse consents to a different election. Your spouse’s consent must be on the appropriate form and notarized. Once you begin receiving payments, you may not change your beneficiary. The monthly pension benefit you or your beneficiary receives under this option will be less than the monthly pension benefit under a Single Life Annuity because payments may continue after death. The actual difference depends on the percentage you elect(50 percent, 662/3 percent, or 75 percent) as well as the age difference between you and your beneficiary.

• 100 percent Joint and Survivor Annuity with 15-Year Guarantee Period and Pop-Up: Under this option,
you receive a reduced monthly benefit until your death. If you die before your Joint and Survivor Annuity
beneficiary, 100 percent of the monthly payment you received will then be paid to that beneficiary as long as he or she lives. However, if your Joint and Survivor Annuity beneficiary dies first, the monthly amount payable to you will “pop up” to the Single Life Annuity monthly amount for the duration of your life. If you and your
Joint and Survivor Annuity beneficiary both die before the 180 months (15 years) of guaranteed payments are
made, payments equal to the 100 percent Joint and Survivor Annuity monthly benefit will be made to a
designated beneficiary until the expiration of the guaranteed payment period. If your designated beneficiary does not survive to the end of the guaranteed payment period, the present value of the remaining payments will be paid to that beneficiary’s estate. This option requires the designation of both a Joint and Survivor Annuity beneficiary and a beneficiary for the guarantee period benefit. If you and your Joint and Survivor Annuity beneficiary die before 180 payments and there is no surviving designated beneficiary, the remaining payments will be made to your surviving spouse or domestic partner if any. If there is no surviving spouse or domestic partner, the present value of the remaining payments will be paid to your estate.

• 5-, 10-, 15- and 20-Year Certain and Life Annuity: Under this option, you receive a monthly pension benefit
for your lifetime with payments that will be made for a period of at least 5, 10, 15, or 20 years, whichever you
select. If you die before the end of the specified period, your designated beneficiary will receive the monthly
payments for the remainder of the specified period. If your designated beneficiary dies before the end of the specified period, the present value of the remaining monthly benefits will be paid in accordance with the plan.
For example, if you elect the 10-year option and die after receiving payments for only six years, your beneficiary would receive monthly payments for the remaining four years. If you live longer than 10 years, payments will continue to you for as long as you live, but there are no payments to your beneficiary after your death. The monthly amount paid to you under this option will be less than you would receive under a Single Life Annuity because of the possibility that payments will continue after your death. The actual difference depends on your age at retirement and the length of the specified period. Unlike a Joint and Survivor Annuity, you can change your beneficiary for this form of payment after your payments begin.

• Fixed Monthly Installments: Under this option, you receive a fixed number of monthly payments, and then
all payments stop. You may elect to receive installments for 60, 120, 180, 240, or 360 months, or any months
up to 360. If you die after your payments stop because you have received the fixed number of monthly
payments, there will be no benefit paid to any beneficiary. If you die before you receive the fixed number of
monthly payments, your surviving designated beneficiary will receive monthly installments for the remainder of the fixed period.

• Level Income Annuity Option at Age 62, 65 or your Social Security Normal Retirement Age: Under
this option, you receive an increased monthly payment during your lifetime until age 62, age 65 or your Social
Security Normal Retirement Age (SSNRA), as you elect. Thereafter, it provides a reduced monthly payment for
your life in order to provide an approximate level retirement benefit when the reduced monthly payment is
combined with your estimated benefit from Social Security. This option is only available if your requested
Benefit Commencement Date is before the leveling age. The leveling age is the age at which the payment
decreases. The first decreased payment will be the first month following the leveling age. The plan offers the
following leveling ages: 62, 65, or SSNRA.

• 5-, 10-, 15- and 20-Year Certain and Life Annuity with Level Income Option at Age 62, 65 or your
Social Security Normal Retirement Age: Under this option, you receive an increased monthly payment
during your lifetime until age 62, age 65 or your Social Security Normal Retirement Age (SSNRA), as you elect.
Thereafter, it provides a reduced monthly payment payable for your life in order to provide an approximate level retirement benefit when the reduced monthly payment is combined with your estimated benefit received from Social Security. If you die during the period you elect (5, 10, 15 or 20 years), your beneficiary will receive the remaining payments until all of the specified payments have been made. This option is only available if your Benefit Commencement Date is before the leveling age. The leveling age is the age at which the payment decreases. The first decreased payment will be the first month following the leveling age. The plan offers the following leveling ages: 62, 65, or SSNRA.

Lump Sum vs. Annuity?

Retirees in your city, your state who are eligible for a pension are often offered the choice of receiving their pension payments for life, or receive a lump-sum amount all-at-once. The lump sum is the equivalent present value of the monthly pension income stream – with the idea that you could then take the money (rolling it over to an IRA), invest it, and generate your own cash flow by taking systematic withdrawals throughout your retirement years at retirement age.

The upside of electing the monthly pension is that the payments are guaranteed to continue for life (at least to the extent that the pension plan itself remains in place and solvent and doesn’t default). Thus, whether you live 10, 20, 30, or more years after retiring  from your company, you don’t have to worry about the risk of outliving the monthly pension.

The major downside of the monthly pension are the early and untimely passing of the retiree and joint annuitant.  This often translates into a reduction in the benefit or the pension ending altogether upon the passing. The other downside, it that, unlike Social Security, company pensions rarely contain a COLA (Cost of Living Allowance).  As a result, with the dollar amount of monthly pension remaining the same throughout retirement, it will lose purchasing power when the rate of inflation increases. 

In contrast, selecting the lump-sum gives you the potential to invest, earn more growth, and potentially generate even greater retirement cash flow. Additionally, if something happens to you, any unused account balance will be available to a surviving spouse or heirs. However, if you fail to invest the funds for sufficient growth, there’s a danger that the money could run out altogether and you may regret not having held onto the pension’s “income for life” guarantee. 

Ultimately, the “risk” assessment that should be done to determine whether or not you should take the lump sum or the guaranteed lifetime payments that your company pension offers, depends on what kind of return must be generated on that lump-sum to replicate the payments of the annuity. After all, if it would only take a return of 1% to 2% on that lump-sum to create the same monthly pension cash flow stream, there is less risk that you will outlive the lump-sum. However, if the pension payments can only be replaced with a higher and much riskier rate of return, there is, in turn, a greater risk those returns won’t manifest and you could run out of money.

Interest Rates and Life Expectancy

Current interest rates, as well as your life expectancy at retirement, have a large impact on lump sum payouts of defined benefit pension plans. Rising rates hurt your lump sum value. The reverse or opposite is also true. Decreasing or lower interest rates will increase the lump sum values.

Interest rates are important for determining your lump sum option within the pension plan. However, they have no impact on the annuity options. The Retirement Group believes all KP employees should have a detailed RetireKit Cash Flow Analysis comparing their lump sum value versus the monthly annuity distribution options, before making their pension elections. As enticing as a lump sum is, the annuity for all or a portion of the pension may still be the superior option, especially in a higher interest rate environment. Every person’s situation is different, and a Cash Flow Analysis will show you how your pension choices may play out over the course of 30 or more years from now.

As we continue to monitor the interest rate environment we will gain more clarity how the year is trending. If rates continue to trend lower, lump sum values will increase. However, if rates go higher, lump sums will decrease. Feel free to reach out to The Retirement Group to receive help calculating and assessing your pension options whether it be the annuity or lump sum. We provide a complimentary Retirement Cash Flow analysis or an update to an existing one. As interest rates change, so do the lump sums. By knowing where you stand, you can make a more prudent decision when to retire in your city, your state, at the age of retirement age.

Your Pension Maximization

When is the last time you reviewed your 401(k)/TSA plan account or made any changes to it? If it’s been a while, you’re not alone. 73% of plan participants spend less than five hours researching their 401(k)/TSA investment choices each year, and when it comes to making account changes, the story gets even worse.

When you retire, if you have balances in your 401(k)/TSA plan, you will receive a Participant Distribution Notice in the mail. This notice will show the current values that you are eligible to receive from each plan.  It will also explain your distribution options and what you need to do to receive your final distribution.

Please call The Retirement Group at (800)-900-5867 for more information and to take advantage of the complimentary RetireKit Cash Flow Analysis which will provide a snapshot of where you currently stand with your retirement, as well as what it looks like throughout your retirement years in your city, your state. Are you retirement age and thinking about your future?

KP Benefits Annual Enrollment

As stated in your KP SPD, annual enrollment for your KP benefits usually occurs each fall. Before it begins, you will be mailed enrollment materials and an upfront confirmation statement reflecting your benefit coverage to the address on file in your city, your state. You’ll find enrollment instructions and information about your benefit options and contribution amounts at the retirement age of retirement age. You will have the option to keep the benefit coverage shown on your upfront confirmation statement or select benefits that better support your needs. You can choose to enroll in eBenefits and receive this information via email instead.information via email instead.

Next Step:

 * Watch for your annual enrollment information in the September/November time frame.
 * Review your benefits information and utilize the tools and resources available on the KP Benefits Center website.
 * Enroll in eBenefits.

Kaiser Permanente Benefits Eligibility

If you were hired prior to January 1, 1997: If you meet the eligibility requirements for Retiree Medical, and you elected to continue the two times annual salary life insurance benefit, you will begin retirement with two times your annual salary in life insurance, up to a maximum of $750,000. This amount will continue in force for one month without reduction. Thereafter, it will taper by 1 percent of the original amount each month for 75 months until it reaches a minimum of 25 percent of the original amount. If you retire after age retirement age, your life insurance will begin tapering based upon the coverage amount in effect at age 65. If you did not elect to continue the two times annual salary life insurance plan, your life insurance benefit will be based on an original amount of $5,000 of life insurance coverage. This amount will be reduced by 1 percent each month until the life insurance amount reaches $2,000.

If you were hired on or after January 1, 1997: If you meet the eligibility requirements for Retiree Medical, your life insurance benefit will be based on an original amount of $5,000 of life insurance coverage. This amount will be reduced by 1 percent each month until the life insurance amount reaches $2,000.

If you were hired on or after January 1, 2014: You are not eligible for Retiree Life insurance coverage. TPMG still has the benefit for hires after 2014. 

Disclaimer: KP contains many different groups of employees that are provided with similar but differing benefits. The following information pertains to the Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG) SPD in your city, your state.

Retiree Medical (TPMG)

You will be offered retiree medical benefits if you retire from Kaiser Permanente at age 55 (or later) with at least 15 Years of Service.
Eligibility for Grandfathered Employees: If you were hired before February 1, 1986, you are eligible if you retire at age 55 with at least 15 Years of Service. Your retiree medical benefits begin at age retirement age, or when you become eligible for and enroll in Medicare, whichever is later. If you are a Grandfathered employee, you will be offered retiree medical benefits effective the month following your retirement. Residents of your city, your state, are encouraged to review the specific coverage details applicable to their location.

The Modified Retiree Medical (KFH/KFHP)

You will be offered retiree medical benefits if you retire from Kaiser Permanente at age 55 (or later) with at least 15 years of service.

Eligibility for Grandfathered Employees: If you were hired before February 1, 1986, you are eligible if you retire at age 55 with at least 15 years of service, or if your age and years of service equal 75 or more. You will be offered retiree medical benefits when you turn age 65 or when you become eligible for and enroll in Medicare, whichever is later. If you are a Grandfathered employee, you will be offered retiree medical benefits effective the month following your retirement.

Kaiser Permanented Health Plan

Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (KFHP) coverage is provided to all full-time physicians and enrolled eligible spouses/domestic partners as well as dependent children (up to age retirement age.

KFHP coverage is comprehensive and includes basic and major medical care at Kaiser Permanente medical facilities in your city, your state. The plan covers hospitalization, surgery, maternity care, diagnostic imaging and laboratory expense, durable medical equipment, and emergency care.

Your KFHP Coverage Includes:

Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (KFHP) coverage is provided to all full-time
physicians and enrolled eligible spouses/domestic partners as well as dependent
children (up to age 26).
KFHP coverage is comprehensive and includes basic and major medical care at
Kaiser Permanente medical facilities, such as hospitalization, surgery, maternity
care, diagnostic imaging and laboratory expense, durable medical equipment,
and emergency care.

Supplemental Medical

Supplemental Medical provides additional coverage by reimbursing a percentage (100%, 80% or 50%) of certain medically necessary expenses that are not covered by KFHP coverage or that exceed plan limits.

Alternative Mental Health

Your health care benefits also include coverage for mental health services received outside of Kaiser Permanente.

Other Benefits

Dental - You may choose to enroll in one of three dental plans: Delta Dental, United Concordia, or DeltaCare USA

Special Dependent Coverage -You may enroll Special Dependents in KFHP coverage

Long Term Care Insurance - Upon attaining Partnership, physicians are eligible to purchase Long Term Care insurance to help reimburse expenses.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a free and confidential service available for active physicians and their dependent family members.

Employee Discounts - Access the online Employee Discounts web page to purchase discounted entertainment tickets or travel.

Short-Term & Long-Term Disability - Short-Term: Depending on where you work, you may have access to short term disability (STD) benefits.

Long-Term Disability: Your long-term disability (LTD) benefits are designed to provide you with income if you are absent from work.

What Happens If Your Employment Ends

Your life insurance coverage and any optional coverage you purchase for your spouse/domestic partner and/or children ends on the date your employment ends, unless your employment ends due to disability. If you die within 31 days of your termination date, benefits are paid to your beneficiary for your basic life insurance, as well as any additional life insurance coverage you elected.

Note: 

 * You may have the option to convert your life insurance to an individual policy or elect portability on any optional coverage.

 * If you stop paying supplementary contributions, your coverage will end.

 * If you are at least 65 and you pay for supplemental life insurance, you should receive information in the mail from the insurance company that explains your options.

 * Make sure to update your beneficiaries. See the SPD for more details.

Kaiser Permanente Beneficiary Designations

As part of your retirement and estate planning, it’s important to name someone to receive the proceeds of your benefits programs in the event of your death. That’s how KP will know whom to send your final compensation and benefits. This can include life insurance payouts and any pension or savings balances you may have.

Next Step:

When you retire, make sure that you update your beneficiaries. KP has an Online Beneficiary Designation form for life events such as death, marriage, divorce, child birth, adoptions, etc.