Section 182-08-185 - [Effective 1/1/2025] What are the requirements regarding premium surcharges?(1) A subscriber's account will incur a premium surcharge in addition to the subscriber's monthly medical premium, when any enrollee, 13 years and older, engages in tobacco use. (a) A subscriber must attest to whether any enrollee, 13 years and older, enrolled in their public employees benefits board (PEBB) medical engages in tobacco use. The subscriber must attest as described in (a)(i) through (vii) of this subsection: (i) An employee who is newly eligible or regains eligibility for the employer contribution toward PEBB benefits must complete the required form to enroll in PEBB medical as described in WAC 182-08-197 (1) or (3). The employee must include their attestation on that form. The employee must submit the form to their employing agency. If the employee's attestation results in a premium surcharge, it will take effect the same date as PEBB medical begins.(ii) If there is a change in the tobacco use status of any enrollee, 13 years and older on the subscriber's PEBB medical, the subscriber must update their attestation on the required form. An employee must submit the form to their employing agency. Any other subscriber must submit their form to the PEBB program. The attestation change will apply as follows: * A change that results in a premium surcharge will begin the first day of the month following the status change. If that day is the first of the month, the change to the surcharge begins on that day.
* A change that results in removing the premium surcharge will begin the first day of the month following receipt of the attestation. If that day is the first of the month, the change to the surcharge begins on that day.
(iii) If a subscriber submits the required form to enroll a dependent, 13 years and older, in PEBB medical as described in WAC 182-12-262, the subscriber must attest for their dependent on the required form. An employee must submit the form to their employing agency. Any other subscriber must submit their form to the PEBB program. A change that results in a premium surcharge will take effect the same date as PEBB medical begins.(iv) An enrollee, 13 years and older, who elects to continue medical coverage as described in WAC 182-12-133, 182-12-141, 182-12-142, 182-12-146, 182-12-148, 182-12-270, or 182-12-232 must provide an attestation on the required form if they have not previously attested as described in (a) of this subsection. The enrollee must submit their form to the PEBB program. An attestation that results in a premium surcharge will take effect the same date as PEBB medical begins.(v) An employee or retiree who enrolls in PEBB medical as described in WAC 182-12-171 (1)(a), 182-12-180(3)(a), 182-12-200 (3)(a) or (b), 182-12-205 (6) or (7), or 182-12-211, must provide an attestation on the required form if they have not previously attested as described in (a) of this subsection. The employee or retiree must submit their form to the PEBB program. An attestation that results in a premium surcharge will take effect the same date as PEBB medical begins.(vi) A surviving spouse, state registered domestic partner, or dependent child, 13 years and older, who enrolls in PEBB medical as described in WAC 182-12-180 (3)(a), 182-12-250(5) or 182-12-265, must provide an attestation on the required form to the PEBB program if they have not previously attested as described in (a) of this subsection. An attestation that results in a premium surcharge will take effect the same date as PEBB medical begins.(vii) An employee who previously waived PEBB medical must complete the required form to enroll in PEBB medical as described in WAC 182-12-128(3). The employee must include their attestation on that form. An employee must submit the form to their employing agency. An attestation that results in a premium surcharge will take effect the same date as PEBB medical begins. Exceptions: | (1) A subscriber enrolled in both medicare Parts A and B and in the medicare risk pool as described in RCW 41.05.080(3) is not required to provide an attestation and no premium surcharge will be imposed on the subscriber's account. (2) An employee who waives PEBB medical as described in WAC 182-12-128 is not required to provide an attestation and no premium surcharge will be applied to their account as long as the employee remains in waived status. |
(b) A subscriber's account will incur a premium surcharge when a subscriber fails to attest to the tobacco use status of all enrollees as described in (a) of this subsection.(c) The PEBB program will provide a reasonable alternative for enrollees who use tobacco products. A subscriber can avoid the tobacco use premium surcharge if the subscriber attests on the required form that all enrollees who use tobacco products enrolled in or accessed one of the applicable reasonable alternatives offered below: (i) An enrollee who is 18 years and older and uses tobacco products is currently enrolled in the free tobacco cessation program through their PEBB medical.(ii) An enrollee who is 13 through 17 years old and uses tobacco products accessed the information and resources aimed at teens on the Washington state department of health's website at https://teen.smokefree.gov.(iii) A subscriber may contact the PEBB program to accommodate a physician's recommendation that addresses an enrollee's use of tobacco products or for information on how to avoid the tobacco use premium surcharge.(2) A subscriber will incur a premium surcharge in addition to the subscriber's monthly medical premium, if an enrolled spouse or state registered domestic partner has chosen not to enroll in another employer-based group medical where the spouse's or state registered domestic partner's share of the medical premium is less than 95 percent of the additional cost an employee would be required to pay to enroll a spouse or state registered domestic partner in the PEBB Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) Classic and the benefits have an actuarial value of at least 95 percent of the actuarial value of the PEBB UMP Classic's benefits. (a) A subscriber who enrolled a spouse or state registered domestic partner under their PEBB medical may only attest during the following times:(i) When a subscriber becomes eligible to enroll a spouse or state registered domestic partner in PEBB medical as described in WAC 182-12-262. The subscriber must complete the required form to enroll their spouse or state registered domestic partner, and include their attestation on that form. The employee must submit the form to their employing agency. Any other subscriber must submit the form to the PEBB program. If the subscriber's attestation results in a premium surcharge it will take effect the same date as PEBB medical begins;(ii) During the annual open enrollment. A subscriber must attest if during the month prior to the annual open enrollment the subscriber was: * Incurring the surcharge;
* Not incurring the surcharge because the spouse's or state registered domestic partner's share of the medical premium through their employer-based group medical was more than 95 percent of the additional cost an employee would be required to pay to enroll a spouse or state registered domestic partner in the PEBB UMP Classic; or
* Not incurring the surcharge because the actuarial value of benefits provided through the spouse's or state registered domestic partner's employer-based group medical was less than 95 percent of the actuarial value of the PEBB UMP Classic's benefits.
A subscriber must update their attestation on the required form. An employee must submit the form to their employing agency. Any other subscriber must submit the form to the PEBB program. The subscriber's attestation or any correction to a subscriber's attestation must be received no later than December 31st of the year in which the annual open enrollment occurs. If the subscriber's attestation results in a premium surcharge, being added or removed, the change to the surcharge will take effect January 1st of the following year; and
(iii) When there is a change in the spouse's or state registered domestic partner's employer-based group medical. A subscriber must provide evidence of the event and update their attestation on the required form. An employee must submit the form to their employing agency no later than 60 days after the spouse's or state registered domestic partner's employer-based group medical status changes. Any other subscriber must submit the form to the PEBB program no later than 60 days after the spouse's or state registered domestic partner's employer-based group medical status changes. * A change that results in a premium surcharge will begin the first day of the month following the status change. If that day is the first day of the month, the change to the premium surcharge begins on that day.
* A change that results in removing the premium surcharge will begin the first day of the month following receipt of the attestation. If that day is the first day of the month, the change to the premium surcharge begins on that day.
Exceptions: | (1) A subscriber enrolled in both medicare Parts A and B and in the medicare risk pool as described in RCW 41.05.080(3) is not required to provide an attestation and no premium surcharge will be imposed on the subscriber's account. (2) An employee who waives PEBB medical as described in WAC 182-12-128 is not required to provide an attestation and no premium surcharge will be applied to their account as long as the employee remains in waived status. (3) An employee who covers their spouse or state registered domestic partner who has waived their own PEBB medical must attest as described in this subsection, but will not incur a premium surcharge if the employee provides an attestation that their spouse or state registered domestic partner is eligible for PEBB medical. (4) A subscriber who covers their spouse or state registered domestic partner who elected not to enroll in a TRICARE plan must attest as described in this subsection, but will not incur a premium surcharge if the subscriber provides an attestation that their spouse or state registered domestic partner is eligible for a TRICARE plan. |
(b) A premium surcharge will be applied to a subscriber who does not attest as described in (a) of this subsection.Wash. Admin. Code § 182-08-185
Adopted by WSR 14-08-040, filed 3/26/14, effective 4/26/2014Amended by WSR 14-20-058, Filed 9/25/2014, effective 1/1/2015Amended by WSR 15-22-099, Filed 11/4/2015, effective 1/1/2016Amended by WSR 16-20-080, Filed 10/4/2016, effective 1/1/2017Amended by WSR 18-20-117, Filed 10/3/2018, effective 1/1/2019Amended by WSR 19-17-073, Filed 8/20/2019, effective 1/1/2020Amended by WSR 20-16-062, Filed 7/28/2020, effective 1/1/2021Amended by WSR 21-13-106, Filed 6/18/2021, effective 1/1/2022Amended by WSR 24-18-076, Filed 8/29/2024, effective 1/1/2025