Washington Administrative Code › Title 182 - Health Care Authority › PUBLIC EMPLOYEES BENEFITS BOARD (PEBB) PROGRAM › Chapter 182-12 - Eligible and noneligible employees › Section 182-12-146 - When is an enrollee eligible to continue public employees benefits board (PEBB) benefits under Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)?

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1) An employee or
				an employee's dependent who loses eligibility for the employer contribution
				toward public employees benefits board (PEBB) benefits and who qualifies for
				continuation coverage under the federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget
				Reconciliation Act (COBRA) may continue coverage for PEBB medical, dental, or
				both.
(2) An employee or an
				employee's dependent who loses eligibility for continuation coverage described
				in WAC 182-12-133,
				182-12-141,
				182-12-142, or
				182-12-148 but who has not used
				the maximum number of months allowed under COBRA may continue PEBB medical,
				dental, or both for the remaining difference in months.
(3) A retired employee who loses eligibility
				for PEBB retiree insurance coverage because an employer group ceases
				participation in PEBB insurance coverage may continue PEBB medical, dental, or
				both on the same terms and conditions as retirees who are eligible under
				COBRA.
(4) A retiree or a dependent
				of a retiree, who is no longer eligible as described in WAC
				182-12-171,
				182-12-180, or
				182-12-260 may continue PEBB
				medical, dental, or both.
(5) A
				blind vendor who ceases to actively operate a facility as described in WAC
				182-12-111(4)(a)
				may continue enrollment in PEBB medical for the maximum number of months
				allowed under COBRA as described in this section.
(6) A board member who no longer qualifies as
				described in WAC
				182-12-111(4)(c)
				may continue enrollment in PEBB medical, dental, or both for the maximum number
				of months allowed under COBRA as described in this section.
(7) An enrollee may continue PEBB medical,
				dental, or both under COBRA by self-paying the premium and applicable premium
				surcharges set by the health care authority (HCA):
(a) The election must be received by the PEBB
				program no later than 60 days from the date the enrollee's PEBB health plan
				coverage ended or from the postmark date on the election notice sent by the
				PEBB program, whichever is later;
(b) The first premium payment under COBRA
				coverage and applicable premium surcharges are due to the HCA no later than 45
				days after the election period ends as described in (a) of this subsection.
				Following the enrollee's first premium payment, premiums and applicable premium
				surcharges must be paid as described in WAC
				182-08-180(1)(c);
(c) COBRA continuation coverage enrollees who
				voluntarily terminate their COBRA coverage will not be eligible to reenroll in
				COBRA coverage unless they regain eligibility as described in WAC
				182-12-114. Those who request to
				terminate their COBRA coverage must do so in writing. COBRA coverage will end
				on the last day of the month in which the PEBB program receives the termination
				request or on the last day of the month specified in the COBRA enrollee's
				termination request, whichever is later. If the termination request is received
				on the first day of the month, COBRA coverage will end on the last day of the
				previous month;
(d) An employee
				enrolled in a medical flexible spending arrangement (FSA) or limited purpose
				FSA and the employee's dependents will have an opportunity to continue making
				contributions to their medical FSA or limited purpose FSA by electing COBRA if
				on the date of the qualifying event, as described under
				42 U.S.C. Sec.
				300bb-3, the employee's medical FSA or
				limited purpose FSA has a greater amount in remaining benefits than remaining
				contribution payments for the current year. The election must be received by
				the contracted vendor no later than 60 days from the date the PEBB health plan
				coverage ended or from the postmark date on the election notice sent by the
				contracted vendor, whichever is later. The first premium payment under COBRA
				coverage is due to the contracted vendor no later than 45 days after the
				election period ends as described above.