SEB Board considers 2024 medical plan premiums

On July 13, 2023, the School Employees Benefits Board (SEB Board) met. Board 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 for a vote at the next Board meeting. Approving these resolutions would include approval of premiums and benefit designs, including benefit design changes for 2024 described during the July 13 Board meeting, for all SEBB Program school employee plans administered by each of these carriers::

  • SEBB 2023-08 — KPNW 2024 medical premiums: The SEB Board endorses the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest 2024 employee premiums.
  • SEBB 2023-09 — KPWA 2024 medical premiums: The SEB Board endorses the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington 2024 employee premiums.
  • SEBB 2023-10 — KPWA Options 2024 medical premiums: The SEB Board endorses the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington Options 2024 employee premiums.
  • SEBB 2023-11 — Premera 2024 medical premiums: The SEB Board endorses the Premera 2024 employee premiums.
  • SEBB 2023-12 — UMP 2024 medical premiums: The SEB Board endorses the Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) 2024 employee premiums.

Guests Kelly Meehan Cook, director, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington, and Jennifer Stacy, interim vice president, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest, presented insights regarding premium increases and took questions from the Board.

The Board requested the SEBB Program pursue another round of rates from all the carriers. Depending on the response from Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest, and Premera Blue Cross, this could result in possible different proposed premiums for vote by the Board at next week’s July 20 Board meeting.

HCA staff provided presentations on the following:

  • Update on the annual procurement process and proposed benefit changes
  • Insight into UMP procurement cycles
  • Meeting schedule for 2024

Next meeting

The next public meeting of the SEB Board is scheduled for July 20, 2023, starting at 9 a.m. Board members and the public may attend in person or virtually via Zoom. A link or call-in number for virtual attendance will be noted on the meeting agenda and posted on the SEB Board Meetings and materials webpage.