The Arizona State Retirement System is excited to announce a major enhancement to the Premium Benefit (PB) process for ASRS employers who provide retiree and COBRA insurance coverage eligible for the ASRS PB.
As a result of valuable feedback from our employer partners, combined with a detailed analysis of process improvement opportunities, the ASRS has successfully migrated the PB process into the Employer Portal for the new fiscal year.
This enhancement represents a significant step forward in modernizing and streamlining a process that plays an important role in supporting our retirees and LTD recipients.
What’s Changing?
Beginning with the new fiscal year:
• Paper forms for the PB process will be eliminated.
• Employers will now manage PB activity directly through the Employer Secure Portal.
Employers will benefit from:
o Increased visibility into submitted information
o Improved and more timely communication
o Built-in controls designed to reduce errors and prevent overpayments
o Enhanced tracking and monitoring capabilities
o A more efficient and user-friendly experience
This transition supports ASRS’s ongoing commitment to improving employer services while maintaining compliance and accuracy for member benefits.
Why This Matters
The Health Insurance PB is an important benefit available to eligible ASRS retirees and LTD recipients enrolled in qualifying retiree or COBRA health insurance plans. Under Arizona law, eligible members may receive assistance toward qualifying health insurance premiums when coverage is provided through:
• The ASRS health insurance program, or
• An ASRS employer-sponsored non-subsidized retiree or COBRA plan.
Employers play a critical role in ensuring accurate and timely reporting of:
• Coverage elections
• Coverage changes
• Terminations
• Premium amounts
• Eligibility status
Accurate employer reporting helps ensure members receive the correct PB amount while reducing the risk of retroactive adjustments or overpayments.
Employer Responsibilities
ASRS employers administering retiree or COBRA insurance coverage remain responsible for:
• Maintaining accurate retiree and LTD insurance information
• Reporting changes timely
• Ensuring submitted plans are non-subsidized when applicable
• Communicating updates that may impact PB eligibility
As outlined by the ASRS, employers are responsible for keeping ASRS updated on retiree or LTD recipient coverage changes to initiate, modify, or terminate the PB appropriately.
Access Requirements
One of the most important things to remember is that employer users must have the appropriate Employer Secure Portal security role assigned in order to access the new PB Application functionality.
If you do not currently have the necessary access, please work with your organization’s ASRS Administrator to request the appropriate role assignment.
Employer BASIC’s Training – June 11, 2026
To support employers during this transition, ASRS strongly encourages employer users with PB responsibilities to attend the upcoming Employer BASIC’s Training scheduled for:
June 11, 2026
During this training:
• A live demonstration/tutorial of the new functionality will be presented
• Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from both the Health Insurance (HI) and Employer Relations (ER) teams will be available to answer questions
• Employers will have an opportunity to better understand workflows, expectations, and best practices
This session is designed to help employers feel confident and prepared before the official rollout.
Test Environment Access Before Release
As part of this initiative, ASRS is also providing the Employer Administrators and Health Insurance Specialists Roles with an opportunity to preview and test the new functionality prior to production release.
Testing Timeline
• First two weeks of June 2026
The goal of this testing period is to:
• Allow employer users to become familiar with the new platform
• Provide hands-on experience
• Identify potential issues early
• Gather employer feedback and suggestions
ASRS will carefully review all feedback received and determine whether enhancements can be implemented immediately or scheduled for future improvements.
This collaborative approach reflects ASRS’s commitment to partnering with employers throughout the enhancement process. A targeted email will be sent to those users with more details.
Resources Available
Employers are encouraged to review the following ASRS resources for additional information regarding PB eligibility, responsibilities, and processes:
• ASRS Retiree Health Insurance Premium Benefit Information
• Health Insurance Premium Benefit: How is it Applied?
• ASRS Employer Reference Materials
Looking Ahead
We are incredibly excited about this enhancement and believe it is another positive step toward improving a process that provides meaningful support to ASRS retirees and LTD recipients.
The success of this initiative is possible because of the continued collaboration between ASRS and our employer partners. Your feedback, engagement, and willingness to participate in testing and training are invaluable as we continue enhancing the employer experience.
We look forward to partnering with you throughout this rollout and appreciate your continued support and dedication to serving ASRS members.
