PEB Board authorizes 2026 premiums for Medicare plans
On July 10, the Public Employees Benefits (PEB) 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.
The Board approved the following resolutions:
- PEBB 2025-07 — Medicare Explicit Subsidy: The PEB Board authorizes the Health Care Authority each calendar year to apply the monthly Medicare Explicit Subsidy for each plan up to the maximum amount established by the legislature and in compliance with RCW 41.05.085.
- PEBB 2025-08 — Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest (KPNW) Medicare Premium: The PEB Board authorizes the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest Medicare 2026 plan premium.
- PEBB 2025-09 — Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington (KPWA) Medicare Premium: The PEB Board authorizes the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington Medicare 2026 plan premium.
- PEBB 2025-10 – UnitedHealthcare (UHC) Medicare Premiums: The PEB Board authorizes the UnitedHealthcare Medicare 2026 plan premiums.
- PEBB 2025-11 — Premera Medicare Premiums: The PEB Board authorizes the Premera Medicare Supplement 2026 plan premiums.
- PEBB 2025-12 — UMP Medicare Premium: The PEB Board authorizes the Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) Classic Medicare with Part D (PDP) 2026 plan premium. Consistent with open enrollment operational timelines, HCA has the authority to lower the 2026 premium if the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) continues the Medicare Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration.
HCA staff introduced the following proposed resolutions:
- PEBB 2025-13 – Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest (KPNW) Non-Medicare Premiums: The PEB Board authorizes the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest employee and non-Medicare retiree 2026 plan premiums.
- PEBB 2025-14 – Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington (KPWA) Non-Medicare Premiums: The PEB Board authorizes the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington employee and non-Medicare retiree 2026 plan premiums.
- PEBB 2025-15 – Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) Non-Medicare Premiums: The PEB Board authorizes the Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) employee and non-Medicare retiree 2026 plan premiums.
HCA staff provided presentations on the following:
- Proposed benefit changes, including that KPNW and KPWA members must see an in-network provider to receive hearing aids.
- Process for setting premiums and a review of proposed monthly premiums by plan for 2026. HCA will ask the Board to vote on the non-Medicare premiums (for employees and non-Medicare retirees) at the next Board meeting on July 17.
- Discussion on the 2026 PEB Board meeting schedule.
The Board met in executive session.
Next meeting
The next public meeting of the PEB Board is scheduled for July 17, 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 PEB Board Meetings and materials webpage.