Open enrollment (PEBB)

Premiums for some plans are increasing significantly

Kaiser Permanente premiums for employees are increasing significantly across all plans. The highest enrolled Kaiser Permanente plans are increasing by $117 to $159 per month for a single subscriber. This change is not limited to the PEBB Program. Kaiser rates are also increasing on the Washington individual market and nationwide. You are not required to stay in the same plan each year.

We encourage you to consider various factors when choosing a medical plan:

• Overall cost (premiums, deductibles, copays/coinsurance, and maximum out-of-pocket limits).
• Whether your current providers accept the plan.
• Whether your current prescriptions will be covered and the cost.
• Whether you can use your preferred pharmacy.

Resources

• View premiums.
• Compare medical plan benefits.
• Contact the plans.
• Visit the virtual benefits fair.
• PEBB My Account
• Find forms for employees and PEBB Continuation Coverage subscribers.

Important changes to benefits and plans

Hearing aid coverage

• Kaiser Permanente NW and Kaiser Permanente WA: Members can use the hearing aid benefit of $3,000 per ear every 36 months. Medicare Advantage plans pay up to $1,400 per ear every 36 months. Kaiser Permanente WA Original Medicare's benefit is $3,000 per ear every 36 months. 
• Uniform Medical Plan: Members can use the hearing aid benefit up to $3,000 per ear for prescribed hearing loss, every 3 years. UMP CDHP is subject to member deductible.
• UnitedHealthcare: Members can use the hearing aid benefit every 3 years instead of every 5 years.

Deductible for consumer-directed health plans (CDHP)

The IRS raised the minimum deductible for consumer-directed health plans to $1,600 for single subscribers and $3,200 for families.

This affects Kaiser Permanente NW CDHP, Kaiser Permanente WA CDHP, and UMP CDHP.

UMP Plus-UW Medicine Accountable Care Network service areas

UMP Plus–UW Medicine ACN will leave Kitsap County and will expand to Benton and Franklin counties. Members in Kitsap County must change plans.

Health savings account annual maximum contribution increase

The IRS raised the health savings account annual maximum contribution to $4,150 for single subscribers and $8,300 for families.

Flexible spending arrangements contribution increase

Available to state agency and higher-education employees. Learn more about FSAs.

• The annual maximum contribution for Medical and Limited Purpose FSAs increased to $3,050.
• The carryover amount is up to $610.

Medical FSA contribution for represented employees: Represented employees who make $60,000 or less per year may be eligible to receive a Medical FSA contribution of $250 in January. (The previous income limit was $50,004.)

How much will it cost?

Many premiums are increasing. You are not required to stay in the same plan each year. You should review your current plan and benefits changes to make sure it still meets your needs.

Find monthly premiums for:

Employees

You will pay a premium for medical coverage. There are no employee premiums for dental, basic life, basic accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D), and employer-paid long-term disability (LTD) insurance. These benefits are paid for by your employer. If you choose to keep your employee-paid LTD insurance, you will pay that premium. You may also buy supplemental life and supplemental AD&D insurance for yourself and your dependents.

Employees who work for a city, county, port, tribal government, water district, hospital, etc., need to contact their payroll or benefits office to find their monthly premiums.

• Employee monthly premiums 2024 (printable)
• Medical plan premiums
• Life and AD&D insurance premiums
• Long-term disability (LTD) insurance premiums

Continuation coverage subscribers

• PEBB Continuation Coverage monthly premiums 2024 (printable)
• PEBB Continuation Coverage premiums (Medicare)
• PEBB Continuation Coverage premiums (non-Medicare)
• Life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance premiums
• Long-term disability (LTD) insurance premiums

What do I need to do?

You should review your plan benefits and coverage in light of the premiums increasing to ensure your plans still meet your needs.

• If you are not making changes to your plans and they’re still available in the county you live in, you do not need to do anything. Your medical and dental plan selections will continue for the next year.
• However, you may need to respond to the spouse or state-registered domestic partner coverage premium surcharge. You will receive a letter if you need to respond.
• If you have a DCAP or FSA, you need to enroll in these benefits for 2024.

What changes can I make?

Open enrollment is your chance to:

• Change medical and dental plans.
• Add or remove a dependent from your health plan coverage. If you enroll a dependent, you must provide proof of your dependent's eligibility with your enrollment form before your dependent can be enrolled on your account. Check the list of acceptable documents.
• Reattest to the spouse or state-registered domestic partner coverage premium surcharge. Note: This does not apply to subscribers enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B.
• Enroll in a Medical FSA, Limited Purpose FSA, or DCAP through Navia Benefit Solutions, and choose your election amounts (available only to state agency and higher-education employees). You must enroll again in these benefits every year you want to participate.
• Waive enrollment (employees only) in medical coverage if you have or are enrolling in other employer-based group medical coverage, a TRICARE plan, or Medicare. You cannot waive PEBB employee medical for PEBB retiree medical. You can only waive PEBB dental coverage if you enroll in SEBB medical, dental, and vision coverage, and in specific situations.
• Enroll in employee medical coverage if you previously waived medical for other employer-based group medical, a TRICARE plan, or Medicare.

Note: Pierce County, Washington State University, and University of Washington employees must use Workday.

How do I make changes?

You can make changes to your benefits during open enrollment.

Find forms for employees and PEBB Continuation Coverage subscribers.

Note: Pierce County, Washington State University, and University of Washington employees use Workday.

If a form is required, PEBB My Account will direct you to the appropriate form.

• For employees: Your payroll or benefits office must receive your forms during open enrollment, November 1 through 30.
• PEBB Continuation Coverage subscribers: The PEBB Program must receive your forms during open enrollment, November 1 through 30.

Changes made though PEBB My Account or Workday must be completed by midnight on November 30, 2023.

Not making plan changes for 2024?

You should review your plan benefits and coverage in light of the premiums increasing to ensure they still meet your needs.

If you are not making changes and your plans are still available in the county you live in for 2023, you do not need to do anything. Your medical and dental plan selections will continue for the next year.

How to return your form

Employees

Return your form to your payroll or benefits office. They must receive it no later than November 30.

PEBB Continuation Coverage subscribers

Return your form to the PEBB Program one of the following ways:

• Secure message using HCA Support.
• Bring it to the HCA Olympia office.
  626 8th Avenue SE
  Olympia, WA 98501
• Mail it to the PEBB Program.
  Washington State Health Care Authority
  PEBB Program
  PO Box 42684
  Olympia, WA 98504-2684
• Fax it to 360-725-0771.

The PEBB Program must receive your form during open enrollment November 1 through 30.

Do I need to attest to the premium surcharges?

If you cover your spouse or state-registered domestic partner, you may need to respond to the spouse or state-registered domestic partner coverage premium surcharge. You will receive a letter if you need to respond. Learn more about the premium surcharges.

Open enrollment checklist

• Check the plans available in the county you live or work in to make sure your plan is still available. 
• Review what's changing. Find your monthly premiums and look over any changes to your current plan. 
• Make any changes, like changing your medical plan or removing dependents by November 30, 2023. 
• Stay connected. Follow HCA on social media. 
• Need help? Employees: Contact your payroll or benefits office. PEBB Continuation Coverage subscribers: Contact the PEBB Program. 

Medical and dental plan information

You are not required to stay in the same plan every year. You can change plans during open enrollment.

You do not need to be enrolled in Uniform Medical Plan to enroll in Uniform Dental Plan. These plans are separate.

How do I compare medical plan benefits?

Compare up to three medical plans side-by-side with the Online Medical Benefits Comparison.

You can also use the Medical Benefits At-a-Glance and the Medicare Benefits At-a-Glance.

• Compare employee medical plans
• Compare PEBB Continuation Coverage medical plans

What medical plans are available to me?

In most cases, you must live in a medical plan's service area to join the plan. Exception: To enroll in a UMP Plus plan, you must live in one of the counties where it is offered.

Be sure to call the plans you are interested in to ask about provider availability in your county. If you move out of your plan's service area, you may need to change plans. You must report your new address to your payroll or benefits office (employees) or the PEBB Program (PEBB Continuation Coverage subscribers) no later than 60 days after your move. View plans available to:

• Employees
• PEBB Continuation Coverage subscribers

Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC)

Summaries of Benefits and Coverage (SBCs) are required under the federal Affordable Care Act to help members understand plan benefits and medical terms. SBCs are not available for Medicare plans. View the SBCs for:

• Employee medical plans
• PEBB Continuation Coverage medical plans

How do I compare dental plan benefits?

The PEBB Program offers three dental plans. Use the Dental Benefits At-a-Glance (printable) to compare them.

There are some differences between them that are important to keep in mind.

• There are two managed-care plans: DeltaCare (administered by Delta Dental of Washington) and Willamette Dental. These plans require you choose a primary care dentist from within their network. You need referrals from the primary care dentist to see a specialist.
• There is one preferred-provider plan (PPO), Uniform Dental Plan (administered by Delta Dental of Washington). You can see any provider without a referral. You can see providers outside of the network but will pay more out-of-pocket. You do not need to be enrolled in Uniform Medical Plan to enroll in Uniform Dental Plan.

Find providers

Check the plans' provider portals to check if your current providers are in the plans' networks. You can also call the plan's customer service to ask about a provider's network status.

More to explore

Learn more about your benefits using the resources below.

For Your Benefit newsletter

The October For Your Benefit newsletter is your source for information about open enrollment. Read the edition for your member type. 

• State agency and higher education
• Employer groups
• PEBB Continuation Coverage

Virtual benefits fairs

Visit and explore to learn more about all the benefits available. You will find links to videos, plan comparisons, webinars, and other information to help you choose the right benefits for you and your dependents.