SEB Board learns about legislation to increase health care affordability
On June 18, the School Employees Benefits Board (SEB Board) met. Members attended in person at the Health Care Authority (HCA) 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:
- SEBB 2025-03 — Rescinding Resolution SEBB 2023-05: UMP Hearing Instruments, Effective January 1, 2026, resolution SEBB 2023-05, as adopted on June 1, 2023, is rescinded.
- SEBB 2025-04 — UMP Hearing Instruments: Beginning January 1, 2026, prescribed hearing instruments in all Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) plans will be covered at 100 percent of the allowed amount every 36 months. Coverage for members enrolled in UMP Achieve 1 and UMP Achieve 2 is not subject to the member meeting the plan deductible. Coverage for members enrolled in UMP High Deductible is subject to the member meeting the plan deductible.
HCA staff provided presentations on the following:
- UMP benefit design, including an increase to the deductible for high-deductible health plans to $1,700 per person or $3,400 per family to align with IRS requirements and proposed removal of the specified dollar amount benefit limit for hearing aids to comply with state and federal laws.
- Senate Bill 5083, which aims to increase affordability and access to care. This applies to all plans offered by the SEBB Program and is effective January 1, 2027.
- Benefits 24/7 online enrollment system stabilization and preparation for annual open enrollment this fall.
Next meeting
The next public meeting of the SEB Board is scheduled for July 9, 2025, starting at 9 a.m. Board members and the public may attend in person or virtually via Zoom. A link for virtual attendance will be noted on the meeting agenda and posted on the SEB Board Meetings and materials webpage.