Change your coverage

Before you make a change to your health plan

Before you make a change it is important to:

• Make sure the health plan is available in your area.
• Check the plan’s provider directory or contact your plan to make sure your provider is in the plan’s network.
• Compare monthly plan costs (premiums).
• Compare benefits and your costs for care (deductibles, coinsurance, and/or copays.)

Other plan change requirements

• You can only change medical, dental or vision plans during open enrollment or if a special open enrollment event occurs.
• All eligible dependents must enroll in the same health plan as the subscriber. (Dependents can have different providers.)
• You may be enrolled in only one SEBB medical, dental, or vision plan. If you and your spouse or state-registered domestic partner are both eligible subscribers, you need to choose which of you will cover yourselves and your eligible children (including adult children who are also eligible for SEBB insurance coverage as an employee). Enrolled dependents will be listed on one account, not both.

How do I change my address?

There are several ways to notify us of your address change:

• Send us a secure message. You need to set up an account to protect your privacy and sensitive health information. By using our secure messaging system we can ensure that your data is safeguarded.
• Use the SEBB Continuation Coverage (COBRA) Election/Change form or SEBB Continuation Coverage (Unpaid Leave) Election/Change form.
• Fax to 1-360-725-0771.
• Mail us a written request with your new name or address.
• Call us at 1-800-200-1004 (TRS: 711).

What other changes can I make?

Changes you can make during open enrollment

During open enrollment you can:

• Change your medical, dental, or vision plans.
• Enroll or remove eligible dependents from your SEBB medical or dental plan.

Changes you can make any time

You can make some changes during the year without a special open enrollment event.

• Change your name and/or address. Use the SEBB Continuation Coverage (COBRA) Election/Change form or SEBB Continuation Coverage (Unpaid Leave) Election/Change form.
• Cancel coverage.
• Remove a dependent from your insurance coverage. 
• Remove dependents from coverage due to loss of eligibility (required). Submit the SEBB Continuation Coverage (COBRA) Election/Change form or SEBB Continuation Coverage (Unpaid Leave) Election/Change form to the SEBB Program. The SEBB Program must receive your completed form no later than 60 days after the event.
• Change your life insurance beneficiary information. Use the MetLife Beneficiary Designation form, or call MetLife at 1-833-854-9624.
• Start, stop or change your contribution to your Health Savings Account (HSA).
• Change your HSA beneficiary information. Use the Health Savings Account Beneficiary Designation.

How do I make changes?

Submit the appropriate form to the SEBB Program within the timelines.

• SEBB Continuation Coverage (COBRA) Election/Change
• SEBB Continuation Coverage (Unpaid Leave) Election/Change form

When do changes take effect?

For changes made during open enrollment

The enrollment change will become effective January 1 of the following year.

For all other changes

In most cases, the requested change will occur the first day of the month after the date of the event or the date the SEBB Program receives your enrollment forms, whichever is later. If that day is the first of the month, the requested coverage begins on that date.

Switching: SEBB Continuation Coverage (COBRA) and the Marketplace

If you sign up for SEBB Continuation Coverage, you can switch to a Marketplace plan during the Marketplace’s open enrollment period or if you have another qualifying event that triggers a special enrollment period (such as marriage or birth of a child).

If you cancel SEBB Continuation Coverage early without another qualifying special open enrollment event, you will have to wait to enroll in Marketplace coverage until the next Marketplace open enrollment period. You could end up without any health plan coverage in the interim and may be charged high out-of-pocket costs if you receive health care services.

Once your SEBB Continuation Coverage expires, you will be eligible to enroll in Marketplace coverage through a special enrollment period, even if the Marketplace open enrollment period has ended.

If you sign up for Marketplace coverage instead of SEBB Continuation Coverage, you cannot switch to SEBB Continuation Coverage under any circumstances.