Change your coverage

Learn the requirements to make changes to your PEBB retiree insurance coverage.

Before you make a change

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.)

How to make changes

To make changes, such as enroll a dependent or elect a different health plan, you must complete and submit the required form(s) during the PEBB Program's annual open enrollment or when a special open enrollment event occurs, within the timelines listed below.

To make a change during the PEBB Program’s annual open enrollment from November 1 through 30:
The PEBB Program must receive the appropriate Retiree forms between November 1 through 30. You may also make some changes using My Account. The forms for open enrollment are available November 1.

To make a change when a special open enrollment event occurs:
The PEBB Program must receive the appropriate Retiree Coverage Change Form (form E) and any other required form(s) or documentation no later than 60 days after the event that created the special open enrollment. However, if adding a newborn or newly adopted child, and adding the child increases your premium, the PEBB Program must receive this form no later than 12 months after the birth or adoption.

Note: Retiree subscribers may voluntarily remove an eligible dependent from insurance coverage any time during the year.

In most cases, the change will occur the first day of the month after the date of the event or the date the PEBB Program receives your required, completed enrollment form(s), whichever is later. If that day is the first of the month, coverage begins on that date. One exception is Medicare Advantage plans, which start the first of the month after the PEBB Program receives your change form, per federal regulations. Other exceptions apply.

Changes you can make any time

There are some changes you can make any time during the year without a special open enrollment event.

Change your name and/or address. Use the Retiree Coverage Change Form (form E). You can also mail, the PEBB Program a written request with your new name or address, or call the PEBB Program at 1-800-200-1004 and select menu option 5.
Remove a coverage dependent from your PEBB retiree insurance coverage.
Remove dependent(s) from coverage due to loss of eligibility (required). Submit the Retiree Coverage Change Form (form E) to the PEBB Program no later than 60 days after the last day of the month the dependent loses eligibility for health plan coverage.
Cancel (terminate) or defer (postpone) your PEBB retiree health plan coverage.
Change your life insurance beneficiary information. Use the MetLife Beneficiary Designation form, or contact MetLife at 1-866-548-7139.
Apply for, cancel (terminate), or change auto or home insurance coverage. See the Auto and home insurance page for details.
Start, stop, or change your contribution to your health savings account (HSA). Contact HealthEquity toll-free at 1-877-873-8823 to do this.
Change your HSA beneficiary information. Use the Health Savings Account Beneficiary Designation form.

Plan change requirements

You can only change medical or dental plans during the PEBB Program's annual open enrollment (November 1–30) of if you have a special open enrollment event.
All eligible dependents must enroll in the same health plan. (Dependents can have different providers.)
If you have a provider you want to stay with, contact your plan or check the plan’s provider directory to make sure your provider is in the plan’s network.
You cannot be enrolled on two PEBB accounts at the same time. 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 PEBB coverage as an employee). Enrolled dependents will be listed on one account, not both.

Special open enrollment

The PEBB Program allows changes outside of the PEBB Program annual open enrollment when certain events create a special open enrollment. The change must be on account of and correspond to the event that affects eligibility for coverage. You must provide proof of the event that created the special open enrollment (for example, a marriage or birth certificate).

Changes that may be allowed as a special open enrollment

If this event happens...	Add dependent	Change medical plan	Change dental plan
Marriage, registering a state-registered domestic partnership, birth, adoption, including assuming a legal obligation for total or partial support in anticipation of adoption.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Child becomes eligible as an extended dependent through legal custody or legal guardianship.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Subscriber or dependent loses eligibility for other coverage under a group health plan or through health insurance, as defined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).	Yes	Yes	Yes
Subscriber has a change in employment status that affects their eligibility for the employer contribution under their employer-based group health plan.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Subscriber's dependent has a change in their own employment status that affects their eligibility for the employer contribution under their employer-based group health plan.	Yes	Yes	Yes
A court order requires the subscriber or any other individual to provide insurance coverage for an eligible dependent of the subscriber.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Subscriber or a subscriber’s dependent becomes entitled to coverage or loses eligibility for Medicaid or a state Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).	Yes	Yes	Yes
Subscriber or a dependent becomes eligible for a state premium assistance subsidy for PEBB Program health plan coverage from Medicaid or CHIP.	Yes	Yes	Yes
Subscriber's dependent has a change in enrollment under another employer-based group health plan during its annual open enrollment that does not align with the PEBB Program’s annual open enrollment.	Yes	No	No
Subscriber’s dependent moves from outside the United States to live within the United States, or from within the United States to live outside of the United States.	Yes	No	No
Subscriber or dependent has a change in residence that affects health plan availability.	No	Yes	Yes
Subscriber or dependent experiences a disruption of care that could function as a reduction in benefits for the subscriber or their dependent for a specific condition or ongoing course of treatment (requires approval by the PEBB Program)	No	Yes	Yes
Subscriber or dependent becomes entitled to Medicare or loses eligibility under Medicare; or enrolling (or cancelling enrollment) in a Medicare Part D plan.	No	Yes	No
Subscriber’s or dependent’s current health plan becomes unavailable because the subscriber or enrolled dependent is no longer eligible for a health savings account (HSA)	No	Yes	Yes

For more details, see PEBB Program Policy 45-2A and refer to Washington Administrative Code (WAC):

The PEBB Program's annual open enrollment

From November 1–30 each year, you can make changes to your PEBB account that will take effect January 1 of the following year.

During open enrollment you can:

Change medical or dental plans.
Add dental coverage. (If you enroll in a dental plan, you must stay enrolled for two years.)
Enroll or remove eligible dependents.
Defer your PEBB retiree insurance coverage.
Enroll in a health plan if you previously deferred (postponed) PEBB retiree health plan coverage for other qualifying coverage. Note: You cannot enroll during open enrollment if there has been a gap in coverage. You will need to provide proof of continuous coverage through other qualifying insurance. You cannot enroll if there has been a gap in coverage.

Changes you can make online

During open enrollment you can make changes online using My Account. You can:

Change your medical and/or dental plan(s).
Defer medical coverage if you are enrolled in other employer-based group medical insurance coverage, a TRICARE plan, or Medicaid (coverage through Washington State Apple Health (Medicaid) is not group coverage).
Remove dependents from your coverage.

Please print or save your confirmation page when you’ve completed your changes. Check back in a two business days to verify the coverage you selected and your spousal or state-registered domestic partner coverage premium surcharge attestation is correct.

When you submit an online plan change, please wait two business days to make any additional online plan changes.