Section 182-31-090 - [Effective 1/1/2025] When is an enrollee eligible to continue school employees benefits board (SEBB) benefits under Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)?(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) A school board member and their dependents who are enrolled in SEBB medical, dental, and vision who lose eligibility when the school board member leaves office or their term ends may continue enrollment in SEBB medical, dental, or vision coverage for the maximum number of months allowed under COBRA.(4) 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, except as described in WAC 182-30-040 (1)(a). 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 or 182-31-200. 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 flexible spending arrangement (FSA) or limited purpose FSA and the school employee's dependents will have an opportunity to continue making contributions to their 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 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.(5) A subscriber's state registered domestic partner and the state registered domestic partner's children may continue SEBB medical, dental, or vision on the same terms and conditions as spouses and other eligible dependents under COBRA as described under RCW 26.60.015.(6) Medical, dental, and vision coverage under COBRA begin on the first day of the month following the day the COBRA enrollee loses eligibility for SEBB health plan coverage as described in WAC 182-31-050, 182-31-100, 182-31-120, 182-31-140, or 182-31-200.(7) An enrollee's COBRA coverage will terminate the last day of the month prior to the month their medicare coverage begins.Wash. Admin. Code § 182-31-090
Adopted by WSR 19-01-055, Filed 12/14/2018, effective 1/14/2019Amended by WSR 19-14-093, Filed 7/1/2019, effective 8/1/2019Amended by WSR 20-16-067, Filed 7/28/2020, effective 8/28/2020Amended by WSR 21-13-117, Filed 6/21/2021, effective 1/1/2022Amended by WSR 22-13-168, Filed 6/21/2022, effective 1/1/2023Amended by WSR 24-15-110, Filed 7/22/2024, effective 1/1/2025