(1) A school employees benefits board (SEBB) organization or contracted vendor that makes one or more of the following enrollment errors must correct the error as described in subsections (2) through (5) of this section.
(a) Failure to timely notify a school employee of their eligibility for SEBB benefits and the employer contribution as described in WAC
182-31-030;
(b) Failure to enroll a school employee or their dependents in SEBB benefits as elected by the school employee, if the election was timely;
(c) Failure to enroll a school employee and their dependents in SEBB benefits as described in WAC
182-30-080 (1)(b);
(d) Failure to accurately reflect a school employee's premium surcharge attestation on the school employee's account;
(e) Enrolling a school employee or their dependents in SEBB insurance coverage when they are not eligible as described in WAC
182-31-040 or
182-31-140 and it is clear there was no fraud or intentional misrepresentation by the school employee involved; or
(f) Providing incorrect information, via a benefits administrator or contracted vendor, regarding SEBB benefits to the school employee that they relied upon.
(2) The SEBB organization or the applicable contracted vendor must enroll the school employee and the school employee's dependents, as elected, or terminate enrollment in SEBB benefits as described in subsection (3) of this section, reconcile premium payments and applicable premium surcharges as described in subsection (4) of this section, and provide recourse as described in subsection (5) of this section.
(3) Enrollment or termination.
(a) SEBB medical, vision, and dental enrollment is effective the first day of the month following the date the enrollment error is identified, unless the authority determines additional recourse is warranted, as described in subsection (5) of this section;
Exception: | When a school employee who is called to active duty in the uniformed services under Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) loses eligibility for the employer contribution toward SEBB benefits, they regain eligibility for the employer contribution toward SEBB benefits the day they return from active duty. Employer-paid SEBB benefits will begin the first day of the month in which they return from active duty. |
(b) Basic life, basic accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D), employer-paid long-term disability (LTD) insurance, and employee-paid LTD insurance (unless the school employee declines the employee-paid LTD insurance as described in WAC
182-30-080(1)) enrollment is retroactive to the first day of the month following the day the school employee became newly eligible, or the first day of the month following the date the school employee regained eligibility, as described in WAC
182-30-080;
Exception: | When a school employee who is called to active duty in the uniformed services under USERRA loses eligibility for the employer contribution toward SEBB benefits, they regain eligibility for the employer contribution toward SEBB benefits the day they return from active duty. Employer-paid SEBB benefits will begin the first day of the month in which they return from active duty. |
(c) Supplemental life, supplemental AD&D, and employee-paid LTD insurance enrollment is retroactive to the first day of the month following the day the school employee became newly eligible if the school employee elects to enroll in this coverage (or if previously elected, the first of the month following the signature date on the school employee's application for this coverage). If a SEBB organization enrollment error occurred when the school employee regained eligibility for the employer contribution following a period of leave as described in WAC
182-30-080(3):
(i) Supplemental life and supplemental AD&D is enrolled the first day of the month following the date the school employee regained eligibility, at the same level of coverage the school employee continued during the period of leave, without evidence of insurability.
(ii) If the school employee was eligible to continue supplemental life insurance and supplemental AD&D insurance during the period of leave but did not, the school employee must provide evidence of insurability and receive approval from the contracted vendor.
(iii) School employees may not continue employee-paid LTD insurance while on leave without pay as described in WAC
182-31-100. Employee-paid LTD insurance is reinstated the first day of the month following the date the school employee regains eligibility, to the level of coverage the school employee was enrolled in prior to the period of leave, without evidence of insurability.
(d) If the school employee is eligible and elects (or elected) to enroll in the medical flexible spending arrangement (FSA), limited purpose FSA, or dependent care assistance program (DCAP), enrollment is limited to 60 days prior to the date enrollment is processed, but not earlier than the current plan year. If a school employee was not enrolled in a medical FSA, limited purpose FSA, or DCAP as elected, the school employee may either participate at the amount originally elected with a corresponding increase in contributions for the balance of the plan year, or participate at a reduced amount for the plan year by maintaining the per-pay period contribution in effect;
(e) If the school employee or their dependent was not eligible but still enrolled as described in subsection (1)(e) of this section, the employee's or their dependent's SEBB benefits will be terminated prospectively effective as of the last day of the month.
(4) Premium payments.
(a) The SEBB organization must remit to the authority the employer contribution and the school employee contribution for health plan premiums, applicable premium surcharges, basic life, basic AD&D, and employer-paid LTD insurance starting the date SEBB benefits begin as described in subsections (3) and (5)(a)(i) of this section. If a SEBB organization failed to notify a newly eligible school employee of their eligibility for SEBB benefits, the SEBB organization may only collect the school employee contribution for health plan premiums and applicable premium surcharges for coverage for the months after the school employee was notified.
(b) When a SEBB organization fails to correctly enroll the amount of employee-paid LTD insurance elected by the school employee, premiums will be corrected as follows:
(i) When additional premiums are due to the authority, the school employee is responsible for premiums for the most recent 24 months of coverage. The SEBB organization is responsible for additional months of premiums; and
(ii) When a premium refund is due to the school employee, the LTD insurance contracted vendor is responsible for premium refunds for the most recent 24 months of coverage. The SEBB organization is responsible for additional months of premium refunds after the 24 months of coverage and the overall refunding process to the school employee.
(c) When a SEBB organization mistakenly enrolls a school employee or their dependents as described in subsection (1)(e) of this section, premiums and any applicable premium surcharges will be refunded by the SEBB organization to the school employee without rescinding the insurance coverage.
(5) Recourse.
(a) School employee eligibility for SEBB benefits begins on the first day of the month following the date eligibility is established or the first day of work for school employees who start on or before the first day of school as described in WAC
182-31-040. Dependent eligibility is described in WAC
182-31-140, and dependent enrollment is described in WAC
182-31-150. When retroactive correction of an enrollment error is limited as described in subsection (3)(b), (c), and (d) of this section, the SEBB organization must work with the school employee, and receive approval from the authority, to implement retroactive SEBB benefits within the following parameters:
(i) Retroactive enrollment in a SEBB insurance coverage;
(ii) Reimbursement of claims paid;
(iii) Reimbursement of amounts paid by the school employee or dependent for medical, vision, and dental premiums;
(iv) Reimbursement of amounts paid by the school employee for the premium surcharges;
(v) Other legal remedy received or offered; or
(vi) Other recourse, upon approval by the authority.
(b) Recourse must not contradict a specific provision of federal law or statute and does not apply to requests for noncovered services or in the case of an individual who is not eligible for SEBB benefits.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
41.05.021,
41.05.160, and Policy Resolution SEBB 2022-01. WSR 23-14-021 (Admin #2023-02.03), § 182-30-060, filed 6/23/23, effective 1/1/24. Statutory Authority: RCW
41.05.021 and
41.05.160. WSR 22-13-168 (Admin #2022-01), § 182-30-060, filed 6/21/22, effective 1/1/23. Statutory Authority: RCW
41.05.021,
41.05.160 and Policy resolutions SEBB 2021-11 and 2021-12. WSR 21-13-116 (Admin #2021-01.03), § 182-30-060, filed 6/21/21, effective 1/1/22. Statutory Authority: RCW
41.05.021,
41.05.160 and SEBB policy resolution 2020-06. WSR 20-16-066 (Admin #2020-03), § 182-30-060, filed 7/28/20, effective 8/28/20. Statutory Authority: RCW
41.05.021,
41.05.160, 2017 3rd sp.s. c 13, 2018 c 260, and SEBB policy resolutions. WSR 19-14-093 (Admin #2019-01), § 182-30-060, filed 7/1/19, effective 8/1/19.]
