Switching Between the Active and 60+ Plan Made Easy
Q: How does switching between the Active Plan and 60+ Plan work?
A: If Tom’s hours drop below 140 in a 12-month period, he can apply to join the 60+ Plan. If his hours later increase to 280 or more within 12 months, he may be eligible to apply to switch back to the Active Plan. Transitions between plans are not automatic and require member action.
As Tom approached his 60th birthday, he began thinking about slowing down and transitioning toward retirement. He’d heard about the 60+ Plan and wanted to understand how switching plans would work if he continued working part-time. After years of helping younger members navigate their benefits, it was now his turn to seek clarity.
At a union event, he spoke with a Benefits of Film+ representative, who explained that the switch to the 60+ Plan is not automatic. If Tom’s work hours dropped below 140 within a 12-month period, he could apply to join the 60+ Plan—a plan designed for members who were working less but still wanted access to core health benefits. The idea of having a stable safety net during a gradual career wind-down felt reassuring.
The representative also let him know that if his hours later increased to 280 or more within a 12-month period, he would be eligible to switch back to the Active Plan, restoring full coverage. That flexibility allowed Tom to approach retirement on his own terms, without fear of losing support.
This knowledge gave Tom peace of mind. He could ease out of full-time work while still maintaining coverage—and even return to the Active Plan if his hours picked back up. For Tom, it was the best of both worlds: a system built to support the transitions that naturally come with a long and evolving career.