A 2023 Boeing-SPEEA agreement described a $0 monthly premium for the Aetna Medicare Advantage plan from 2024 through 2028, subject to specified material changes determined by Aetna. It also said eligible SPEEA-represented enrollees would be offered the same plan and premiums as Boeing’s non-union population in the circumstances it describes, and that any introduced premium would be one nationwide rate per enrollee, according to the Boeing-SPEEA letter of understanding.
SPEEA says Aetna determined that material legislative, regulatory or funding changes warranted a 2026 premium, and its notice to retirees lists the monthly charge as $58.91 per person. The Seattle Times, however, reported that Aetna began charging $60 per enrollee per month in 2026 and that the amount is set to rise to $316 in 2027. The available information does not explain the difference between the two 2026 figures or identify which agreement provision or change accounts for the reported premiums, as the Times’ report describes them.
What retirees may pay
The Times reported that Boeing introduced the Aetna plan with no monthly premium in 2024 and that the charge remained at zero through 2025. Boeing does not pay the premiums, and a company spokesperson attributed the increase to rising health care claims and plan costs in comments reported by The Daily Chronicle.
The Daily Chronicle reported that Christopher McMahon and his wife currently pay about $120 a month for the coverage and expect their combined premium to exceed $630 next year. The paper also reported that they estimate their total health coverage costs, including income-based adjustments, could reach at least $2,000 a month, and that they have decided to claim Social Security earlier than planned while McMahon considers part-time work. These details come from The Daily Chronicle’s reporting; this article did not independently interview the couple.
Before the Aetna plan, Boeing offered retirees a Medicare Supplement plan that cost enrollees $327 to $370 a month, according to company figures cited by the Seattle Times. Retirees are not required to buy coverage through Boeing, and the newspaper reported that some Washington Medicare Advantage plans have premiums as low as $0 a month, although lower-priced options may carry more restrictions.
