(Effective until January 1, 2025)
PDFWAC 182-08-196
What happens if my health plan becomes unavailable?
(1) A subscriber must elect a new health plan when their previously selected health plan becomes unavailable due to a change in contracting service area as described below:
(a) When a health plan becomes unavailable during the plan year, a subscriber must elect a new health plan no later than 60 days after the date their previously selected health plan becomes unavailable.
(i) An employee must submit the required forms to their employing agency electing their new health plan.
(ii) Any other subscriber must submit the required forms to the PEBB program electing their new health plan.
(iii) The effective date of the change in health plan will be the first day of the month following the later of the date the health plan becomes unavailable or the date the form is received. If that day is the first of the month, the change in health plan begins on that day.
(b) When a health plan becomes unavailable at the beginning of the next plan year, a subscriber must elect a new health plan no later than the last day of the public employees benefits board (PEBB) annual open enrollment.
(i) An employee must submit the required forms to their employing agency electing their new health plan.
(ii) Any other subscriber must submit the required forms to the PEBB program electing their new health plan.
(iii) The effective date of the change in health plan will be January 1st of the following year.
(c) A subscriber who fails to elect a new health plan within the required time period as required in (a) or (b) of this subsection will be enrolled in a health plan designated by the director or designee.
(2) A subscriber must elect a new health plan when their previously selected health plan becomes unavailable due to the subscriber or subscriber's dependent ceasing to be eligible for their current health plan because of enrollment in medicare as described below:
(a) The required forms electing a new health plan must be received no later than 60 days after the date their previously selected health plan becomes unavailable.
Exception: | The required forms electing a new medicare advantage (MA) or medicare advantage-prescription drug (MA-PD) plan must be received no later than two months after the date their previously selected health plan becomes unavailable. |
(i) An employee must submit the required forms to their employing agency electing their new health plan.
(ii) Any other subscriber must submit the required forms to the PEBB program electing their new health plan.
(iii) The effective date of the change in health plan will be the first day of the month following the later of the date the health plan becomes unavailable or the date the form is received. If that day is the first of the month, the change in health plan begins on that day except for a MA or MA-PD plan which will begin the first day of the month following the date the form is received.
(b) A subscriber who is enrolled in a consumer directed health plan (CDHP) with a health savings account (HSA), and fails to elect a new health plan within the required time period as required in this subsection, will not be eligible to receive contributions to the HSA. A subscriber will be liable for any tax penalties resulting from contributions made when they are no longer eligible.
(3) A subscriber must elect a new medical plan when their previously selected medical plan becomes unavailable due to a change in their residence as described below.
(a) When a subscriber's medical plan becomes unavailable during the plan year, a subscriber must elect a new medical plan no later than 60 days after the date their previously selected medical plan becomes unavailable as described in WAC 182-08-198 (2)(e).
(i) An employee must submit the required forms to their employing agency electing their new medical plan.
(ii) Any other subscriber must submit the required forms to the PEBB program electing their new medical plan.
(iii) The effective date of the change in medical plan will be the first day of the month following the later of the date the medical plan becomes unavailable or the date the form is received. If that day is the first of the month, the change in medical plan begins on that day except for a MA or MA-PD plan which will begin the first day of the month following the date the form is received.
(b) A subscriber who fails to elect a new medical plan within the required time period as required in (a) of this subsection will be enrolled in a public employees benefits board medical plan designated by the director or designee.
(4) When a subscriber or their dependent must be disenrolled by a MA or MA-PD plan as required by federal law, the subscriber and their enrolled dependents will be enrolled in a PEBB medical plan as designated by the director or designee. The new medical plan coverage will begin the first day of the month following the date the MA or MA-PD plan is terminated.
(5) A subscriber enrolled in a health plan as described in subsection (1)(c), (2)(b), (3)(b), or (4) of this section may not change health plans except as allowed in WAC 182-08-198.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, Policy Resolutions PEBB 2023-01 and 2023-02. WSR 23-14-016 (Admin #2023-02.01), § 182-08-196, filed 6/23/23, effective 1/1/24. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021 and 41.05.160. WSR 20-16-062 (Admin #2020-03), § 182-08-196, filed 7/28/20, effective 1/1/21. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, and PEBB policy resolutions. WSR 19-17-073 (Admin #2019-01), § 182-08-196, filed 8/20/19, effective 1/1/20; WSR 18-20-117 (Admin #2018-02), § 182-08-196, filed 10/3/18, effective 1/1/19; WSR 17-19-077 (Order 2017-01), § 182-08-196, filed 9/15/17, effective 1/1/18. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, 2016 c 67, and PEBB policy resolutions. WSR 16-20-080, § 182-08-196, filed 10/4/16, effective 1/1/17. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 2011 c 8. WSR 11-22-036 (Order 11-02), § 182-08-196, filed 10/26/11, effective 1/1/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160. WSR 10-20-147 (Order 10-02), § 182-08-196, filed 10/6/10, effective 1/1/11; WSR 09-23-102 (Order 09-02), § 182-08-196, filed 11/17/09, effective 1/1/10; WSR 08-20-128 (Order 08-03), § 182-08-196, filed 10/1/08, effective 1/1/09; WSR 07-20-129 (Order 07-01), § 182-08-196, filed 10/3/07, effective 11/3/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160, 41.05.350, and 41.05.165. WSR 05-16-046 (Order 05-01), § 182-08-196, filed 7/27/05, effective 8/27/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 41.05.165. WSR 04-18-039, § 182-08-196, filed 8/26/04, effective 1/1/05; WSR 03-17-031 (Order 02-07), § 182-08-196, filed 8/14/03, effective 9/14/03.]
(Effective January 1, 2025)
PDFWAC 182-08-196
What happens if my health plan becomes unavailable?
(1) A subscriber must elect a new health plan when their previously selected health plan becomes unavailable due to a change in contracting service area as described below:
(a) When a health plan becomes unavailable during the plan year, a subscriber must elect a new health plan no later than 60 days after the date their previously selected health plan becomes unavailable.
(i) An employee must submit the required forms to their employing agency electing their new health plan.
(ii) Any other subscriber must submit the required forms to the PEBB program electing their new health plan.
(iii) The effective date of the change in health plan will be the first day of the month following the later of the date the health plan becomes unavailable or the date the form is received. If that day is the first of the month, the change in health plan begins on that day.
(b) When a health plan becomes unavailable at the beginning of the next plan year, a subscriber must elect a new health plan no later than the last day of the public employees benefits board (PEBB) annual open enrollment.
(i) An employee must submit the required forms to their employing agency electing their new health plan.
(ii) Any other subscriber must submit the required forms to the PEBB program electing their new health plan.
(iii) The effective date of the change in health plan will be January 1st of the following year.
(c) A subscriber who fails to elect a new health plan within the required time period as required in (a) or (b) of this subsection will be enrolled in a health plan designated by the director or designee.
(2) A subscriber must elect a new health plan when their previously selected health plan becomes unavailable due to the subscriber or subscriber's dependent ceasing to be eligible for their current health plan because of enrollment in medicare as described below:
(a) The required forms electing a new health plan must be received no later than 60 days after the date their previously selected health plan becomes unavailable.
Exception: | The required forms electing a new medicare advantage (MA) plan, medicare advantage-prescription drug (MA-PD) plan, or the Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) Classic medicare plan must be received no later than two months after the date their previously selected health plan becomes unavailable. |
(i) An employee must submit the required forms to their employing agency electing their new health plan.
(ii) Any other subscriber must submit the required forms to the PEBB program electing their new health plan.
(iii) The effective date of the change in health plan will be the first day of the month following the later of the date the health plan becomes unavailable or the date the form is received. If that day is the first of the month, the change in health plan begins on that day except for a MA plan, MA-PD plan, or the UMP Classic medicare plan which will begin the first day of the month following the date the form is received.
(b) A subscriber who is enrolled in a consumer directed health plan (CDHP) with a health savings account (HSA), and fails to elect a new health plan within the required time period as required in this subsection, will not be eligible to receive contributions to the HSA. A subscriber will be liable for any tax penalties resulting from contributions made when they are no longer eligible.
(3) A subscriber must elect a new medical plan when their previously selected medical plan becomes unavailable due to a change in their residence as described below.
(a) When a subscriber's medical plan becomes unavailable during the plan year, a subscriber must elect a new medical plan no later than 60 days after the date their previously selected medical plan becomes unavailable as described in WAC 182-08-198 (2)(e).
(i) An employee must submit the required forms to their employing agency electing their new medical plan.
(ii) Any other subscriber must submit the required forms to the PEBB program electing their new medical plan.
(iii) The effective date of the change in medical plan will be the first day of the month following the later of the date the medical plan becomes unavailable or the date the form is received. If that day is the first of the month, the change in medical plan begins on that day except for a MA plan, a MA-PD plan, or the UMP Classic medicare plan which will begin the first day of the month following the date the form is received.
(b) A subscriber who fails to elect a new medical plan within the required time period as required in (a) of this subsection will be enrolled in a public employees benefits board medical plan designated by the director or designee.
(4) When a subscriber or their dependent must be disenrolled by a MA plan, MA-PD plan, or a medicare Part D plan as required by federal law, the subscriber and their enrolled dependents will be enrolled in a PEBB medical plan as designated by the director or designee. The new medical plan coverage will begin the first day of the month following the date the MA plan, the MA-PD plan, or the UMP Classic medicare plan is terminated.
(5) A subscriber enrolled in a health plan as described in subsection (1)(c), (2)(b), (3)(b), or (4) of this section may not change health plans except as allowed in WAC 182-08-198.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.06.065 [ 41.05.065], and 41.05.160. WSR 24-18-083 (Admin #2024-02), § 182-08-196, filed 8/29/24, effective 1/1/25. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, Policy Resolutions PEBB 2023-01 and 2023-02. WSR 23-14-016 (Admin #2023-02.01), § 182-08-196, filed 6/23/23, effective 1/1/24. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021 and 41.05.160. WSR 20-16-062 (Admin #2020-03), § 182-08-196, filed 7/28/20, effective 1/1/21. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, and PEBB policy resolutions. WSR 19-17-073 (Admin #2019-01), § 182-08-196, filed 8/20/19, effective 1/1/20; WSR 18-20-117 (Admin #2018-02), § 182-08-196, filed 10/3/18, effective 1/1/19; WSR 17-19-077 (Order 2017-01), § 182-08-196, filed 9/15/17, effective 1/1/18. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, 2016 c 67, and PEBB policy resolutions. WSR 16-20-080, § 182-08-196, filed 10/4/16, effective 1/1/17. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 2011 c 8. WSR 11-22-036 (Order 11-02), § 182-08-196, filed 10/26/11, effective 1/1/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160. WSR 10-20-147 (Order 10-02), § 182-08-196, filed 10/6/10, effective 1/1/11; WSR 09-23-102 (Order 09-02), § 182-08-196, filed 11/17/09, effective 1/1/10; WSR 08-20-128 (Order 08-03), § 182-08-196, filed 10/1/08, effective 1/1/09; WSR 07-20-129 (Order 07-01), § 182-08-196, filed 10/3/07, effective 11/3/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160, 41.05.350, and 41.05.165. WSR 05-16-046 (Order 05-01), § 182-08-196, filed 7/27/05, effective 8/27/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 41.05.165. WSR 04-18-039, § 182-08-196, filed 8/26/04, effective 1/1/05; WSR 03-17-031 (Order 02-07), § 182-08-196, filed 8/14/03, effective 9/14/03.]