PEB Board looks at 2024 legislation and UMP Classic Medicare plan option
On March 21, 2024, the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEB Board) met. Members attended in person at the Health Care Authority (HCA) building in Olympia and remotely. The meeting was open to the public both in person and via Zoom.
Meeting recap
Highlights are listed below. See the briefing book for all presentation materials.
HCA staff introduced the following proposed resolutions:
- PEBB 2024-01 through PEBB 2024-09: Amending prior policy decisions relating to PEBB dual enrollment prohibitions to include PEBB Program vision
- PEBB 2024-10: Rescinding a prior policy decision relating to the PEBB dual enrollment prohibition
- PEBB 2024-11: Deferring PEBB retiree insurance coverage when the subscriber becomes eligible for the employer contribution
- PEBB 2024-12: Establishing the benefit design for fully insured vision plans
- PEBB 2024-13 through PEBB 2024-16: Relating to enrollment policies to implement PEBB vision
- PEBB 2024-17: Creating UMP Classic Medicare Part D coverage
- PEBB 2024-18 through PEBB 2024-22: Setting enrollment policies to implement UMP Classic Medicare Part D coverage
HCA staff presented on the following:
- Updates on the status of legislation from the 2024 legislative session
- Pharmacy retail consolidation, pharmacy closures, and outreach to PEBB members
- Information on access to behavioral health appointments
- Overview of vision benefit coverage and changes for the PEBB Program to standalone vision plans as of January 1, 2025
- Introduction of eligibility and enrollment resolutions for policy and rules development
- Update on SmartHealth launch experience and platform engagement
- Overview of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
- Follow up, and introduction of policy resolutions, about the option to change the Uniform Medical Plan Classic Medicare prescription drug benefit from creditable coverage to Part D Medicare drug coverage effective 2025
Next meeting
The next public meeting of the PEB Board is scheduled for April 11, 2024, at 9 a.m. Board members and the public may attend in person (masks are optional) or virtually via Zoom. A link or call-in number for virtual attendance will be noted on the meeting agenda and posted on the PEB Board Meetings and materials webpage. The Board is anticipated to vote on the 22 resolutions introduced at the March 21, 2024 board meeting.