Washington Administrative Code › Title 182 - Health Care Authority › SCHOOL EMPLOYEES BENEFITS BOARD (SEBB) PROGRAM › Chapter 182-31 - Eligible school employees › Section 182-31-090 - When is an enrollee eligible to continue school employees benefits board (SEBB) benefits under Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)?

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1) A school
				employee or a school employee's dependent who loses eligibility for the
				employer contribution toward school employees benefits board (SEBB) benefits
				and who qualifies for continuation coverage under the federal Consolidated
				Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) may continue coverage for all or any
				combination of SEBB medical, dental, or vision.
(2) A school employee or a school employee's
				dependent who loses eligibility for continuation coverage described in WAC
				182-31-100
				or
				182-31-120
				but who has not used the maximum number of months allowed under COBRA may
				continue any combination of SEBB medical, dental, or vision for the remaining
				difference in months.
(3) An
				enrollee may continue SEBB medical, dental, or vision 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 SEBB program no later than 60 days from the date the
				enrollee's SEBB health plan coverage ended or from the postmark date on the
				election notice sent by the SEBB 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
				182-30-040(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
				182-31-040.
				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 SEBB 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) A school employee enrolled in a medical
				flexible spending arrangement (FSA) or limited purpose FSA and the school
				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 school 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 SEBB 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.