Section 182-12-265. What options for continuing health plan enrollment are available to widows, widowers and dependent children if the employee or retiree dies?

The dependent of an eligible employee or retiree who meets the eligibility criteria in subsection (1), (2), or (3) of this section is eligible to enroll as a survivor under public employees benefits board (PEBB) retiree insurance coverage. An eligible survivor must submit the appropriate forms to enroll or defer enrollment in retiree insurance coverage. The forms must be received by the PEBB program no later than sixty days after the date of the employee's or retiree's death.

(1) An employee's spouse, registered domestic partner or child who loses eligibility due to the death of an eligible employee may enroll or defer enrollment as a survivor under retiree insurance coverage provided they immediately begin receiving a monthly retirement benefit from any state of Washington sponsored retirement system.

(a) The employee's spouse or registered domestic partner may continue health plan enrollment until death.

(b) The employee's children may continue health plan enrollment until they lose eligibility under WAC 182-12-260.

Note:	If a spouse, registered domestic partner, or child of an eligible employee is not eligible for a monthly retirement benefit, the dependent is not eligible to enroll as a survivor under retiree insurance coverage. However, the dependent may continue health plan enrollment as described in WAC 182-12-146.

(2) A retiree's spouse, registered domestic partner or child who loses eligibility due to the death of an eligible retiree may enroll or defer enrollment as a survivor under retiree insurance coverage.

(a) The retiree's spouse or registered domestic partner may continue health plan enrollment until death.

(b) The retiree's children may continue health plan enrollment until they lose eligibility under WAC 182-12-260.

(c) If a spouse, registered domestic partner or child of an eligible retiree is not enrolled in a PEBB health plan at the time of the retiree's death, the dependent is eligible to enroll or defer enrollment as a survivor under retiree insurance coverage. The dependent must submit the appropriate form(s) to enroll or defer PEBB health plan enrollment. The forms must be received by the PEBB program no later than sixty days after the retiree's death. To enroll in a PEBB health plan, the dependent must provide evidence of continuous enrollment in medical coverage from the most recent open enrollment for which the dependent was not enrolled in a PEBB medical plan prior to the retiree's death.

(3) The spouse, registered domestic partner, or child of a deceased school district or educational service district employee is eligible to enroll or defer enrollment as a survivor under PEBB retiree insurance coverage at the time of the employee's death provided the employee died on or after October 1, 1993. The dependent must immediately begin receiving a retirement benefit allowance under chapter 41.32, 41.35 or 41.40 RCW and submit the appropriate form to enroll or defer enrollment in PEBB retiree insurance coverage. The form must be received by the PEBB program no later than sixty days after the date of the employee's death.

(a) The employee's spouse or registered domestic partner may continue health plan enrollment until death.

(b) The employee's children may continue health plan enrollment until they lose eligibility under WAC 182-12-260.

(4) If a premium payment received by the authority is sufficient to maintain PEBB health plan enrollment after the employee's or retiree's death, the PEBB program will consider the payment as notice of the survivor's intent to continue enrollment.

If the dependent's enrollment ended due to the death of the employee or retiree, the PEBB program will reinstate the survivor's enrollment without a gap subject to payment of premium.

(5) In order to avoid duplication of group medical coverage, surviving dependents may defer enrollment in a PEBB health plan under WAC 182-12-200 and 182-12-205.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 4. WSR 14-20-058 (PEBB Admin 2014-02), § 182-12-265, filed 9/25/14, effective 1/1/15. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160. WSR 12-20-022 (Order 2012-01), § 182-12-265, filed 9/25/12, effective 11/1/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 2011 c 8. WSR 11-22-036 (Order 11-02), § 182-12-265, filed 10/26/11, effective 1/1/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160. WSR 09-23-102 (Order 09-02), § 182-12-265, filed 11/17/09, effective 1/1/10; WSR 08-20-128 (Order 08-03), § 182-12-265, filed 10/1/08, effective 1/1/09; WSR 07-20-129 (Order 07-01), § 182-12-265, filed 10/3/07, effective 11/3/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 41.05.068. WSR 06-23-165 (Order 06-09), § 182-12-265, filed 11/22/06, effective 12/23/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160, 41.05.350, and 41.05.165. WSR 05-16-046 (Order 05-01), § 182-12-265, filed 7/27/05, effective 8/27/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 41.05.165. WSR 04-18-039, § 182-12-265, filed 8/26/04, effective 1/1/05.]

(Effective January 1, 2017.)

WAC 182-12-265

What options for continuing health plan enrollment are available to widows, widowers and dependent children if the employee or retiree dies?

The dependent of an eligible employee or retiree who meets the eligibility criteria in subsection (1), (2), or (3) of this section is eligible to enroll as a survivor under public employees benefits board (PEBB) retiree insurance coverage. An eligible survivor must submit the required forms to enroll or defer enrollment in retiree insurance coverage. The forms must be received by the PEBB program no later than sixty days after the date of the employee's or retiree's death.

(1) An employee's spouse, state registered domestic partner, or child who loses eligibility due to the death of an eligible employee may enroll or defer enrollment as a survivor under retiree insurance coverage provided they immediately begin receiving a monthly retirement benefit from any state of Washington sponsored retirement system.

(a) The employee's spouse or state registered domestic partner may continue health plan enrollment until death.

(b) The employee's children may continue health plan enrollment until they lose eligibility as described in WAC 182-12-260.

Note:	If a spouse, state registered domestic partner, or child of an eligible employee is not eligible for a monthly retirement benefit, the dependent is not eligible to enroll as a survivor under retiree insurance coverage. However, the dependent may continue health plan enrollment as described in WAC 182-12-146.

(2) A retiree's spouse, state registered domestic partner, or child who loses eligibility due to the death of an eligible retiree may enroll or defer enrollment as a survivor under retiree insurance coverage.

(a) The retiree's spouse or state registered domestic partner may continue health plan enrollment until death.

(b) The retiree's children may continue health plan enrollment until they lose eligibility as described in WAC 182-12-260.

(c) If a spouse, state registered domestic partner, or child of an eligible retiree is not enrolled in a PEBB health plan at the time of the retiree's death, the dependent is eligible to enroll or defer enrollment as a survivor under retiree insurance coverage. The dependent must submit the required form(s) to enroll or defer PEBB health plan enrollment. The forms must be received by the PEBB program no later than sixty days after the retiree's death. To enroll in a PEBB health plan, the dependent must provide evidence of continuous enrollment in medical coverage from the most recent open enrollment for which the dependent was not enrolled in a PEBB medical plan prior to the retiree's death.

(3) The spouse, state registered domestic partner, or child of a deceased school district, educational service district employee, or a charter school is eligible to enroll or defer enrollment as a survivor under PEBB retiree insurance coverage at the time of the employee's death provided the employee died on or after October 1, 1993. The dependent must immediately begin receiving a retirement benefit allowance under chapter 41.32, 41.35 or 41.40 RCW and submit the required form to enroll or defer enrollment in PEBB retiree insurance coverage. The form must be received by the PEBB program no later than sixty days after the date of the employee's death.

(a) The employee's spouse or state registered domestic partner may continue health plan enrollment until death.

(b) The employee's children may continue health plan enrollment until they lose eligibility as described in WAC 182-12-260.

(4) If a premium or surcharge payment received by the authority is sufficient as described in WAC 180-08-180 (1)(c)(ii) to maintain PEBB health plan enrollment after the employee's or retiree's death, the PEBB program will consider the payment as notice of the survivor's intent to continue enrollment.

If the dependent's enrollment ended due to the death of the employee or retiree, the PEBB program will reinstate the survivor's enrollment without a gap subject to payment of premium.

(5) In order to avoid duplication of group medical coverage, surviving dependents may defer enrollment in a PEBB health plan as described in WAC 182-12-200 and 182-12-205.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, 2016 c 67, and PEBB policy resolutions. WSR 16-20-080, § 182-12-265, filed 10/4/16, effective 1/1/17. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 4. WSR 14-20-058 (PEBB Admin 2014-02), § 182-12-265, filed 9/25/14, effective 1/1/15. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160. WSR 12-20-022 (Order 2012-01), § 182-12-265, filed 9/25/12, effective 11/1/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 2011 c 8. WSR 11-22-036 (Order 11-02), § 182-12-265, filed 10/26/11, effective 1/1/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160. WSR 09-23-102 (Order 09-02), § 182-12-265, filed 11/17/09, effective 1/1/10; WSR 08-20-128 (Order 08-03), § 182-12-265, filed 10/1/08, effective 1/1/09; WSR 07-20-129 (Order 07-01), § 182-12-265, filed 10/3/07, effective 11/3/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 41.05.068. WSR 06-23-165 (Order 06-09), § 182-12-265, filed 11/22/06, effective 12/23/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160, 41.05.350, and 41.05.165. WSR 05-16-046 (Order 05-01), § 182-12-265, filed 7/27/05, effective 8/27/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 41.05.165. WSR 04-18-039, § 182-12-265, filed 8/26/04, effective 1/1/05.]

RCW 41.05.160 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 4. WSR 14-20-058 (PEBB Admin 2014-02), § 182-12-265, filed 9/25/14, effective 1/1/15. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160. WSR 12-20-022 (Order 2012-01), § 182-12-265, filed 9/25/12, effective 11/1/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 2011 c 8. WSR 11-22-036 (Order 11-02), § 182-12-265, filed 10/26/11, effective 1/1/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160. WSR 09-23-102 (Order 09-02), § 182-12-265, filed 11/17/09, effective 1/1/10; WSR 08-20-128 (Order 08-03), § 182-12-265, filed 10/1/08, effective 1/1/09; WSR 07-20-129 (Order 07-01), § 182-12-265, filed 10/3/07, effective 11/3/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 41.05.068. WSR 06-23-165 (Order 06-09), § 182-12-265, filed 11/22/06, effective 12/23/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160, 41.05.350, and 41.05.165. WSR 05-16-046 (Order 05-01), § 182-12-265, filed 7/27/05, effective 8/27/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 41.05.165. WSR 04-18-039, § 182-12-265, filed 8/26/04, effective 1/1/05.] [Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, 2016 c 67, and PEBB policy resolutions. WSR 16-20-080, § 182-12-265, filed 10/4/16, effective 1/1/17. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 4. WSR 14-20-058 (PEBB Admin 2014-02), § 182-12-265, filed 9/25/14, effective 1/1/15. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160. WSR 12-20-022 (Order 2012-01), § 182-12-265, filed 9/25/12, effective 11/1/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 2011 c 8. WSR 11-22-036 (Order 11-02), § 182-12-265, filed 10/26/11, effective 1/1/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160. WSR 09-23-102 (Order 09-02), § 182-12-265, filed 11/17/09, effective 1/1/10; WSR 08-20-128 (Order 08-03), § 182-12-265, filed 10/1/08, effective 1/1/09; WSR 07-20-129 (Order 07-01), § 182-12-265, filed 10/3/07, effective 11/3/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 41.05.068. WSR 06-23-165 (Order 06-09), § 182-12-265, filed 11/22/06, effective 12/23/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160, 41.05.350, and 41.05.165. WSR 05-16-046 (Order 05-01), § 182-12-265, filed 7/27/05, effective 8/27/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 41.05.165. WSR 04-18-039, § 182-12-265, filed 8/26/04, effective 1/1/05.

Rules

182-12-260,182-12-146,182-12-260,182-12-260,182-12-200,182-12-205,