Yes. The district pays the full funding rate for every eligible employee (when they become eligible) for the school year.

Employees can waive medical coverage but generally cannot waive other benefits for which they are eligible (dental, vision, basic life and AD&D insurance, and basic long-term disability insurance). However, dual enrollment rules do allow employees to waive SEBB medical, vision, and dental to enroll in Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) medical (with vision) and dental. 

No. SEBB organizations will pay the same funding rate regardless of which plan and which tier level employees select. The exception is employees who work between 180 and 630 hours and are offered SEBB benefits through locally negotiated agreements. For this group of employees only, the funding rate is different for each tier. See “What if I work fewer than 630 hours in a school year?”

The insurance plan year for the SEBB Program is a calendar year, January 1 through December 31. Plans run from the beginning to the end of the insurance year.

The school year, as defined in RCW 28A.150.203(11), is September 1 through August 31. Employee benefits eligibility and coverage period are based on the school year.

No, but retirees are eligible to enroll in the PEBB Program.

No. The ACA requirements are more restrictive than state law RCW 41.05.740 (6)(d)(ii), and the SEB Board cannot make a requirement that is more restrictive than statute.

Yes. SEBB organizations are responsible for preparing Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1095, providing copies of Form 1095 to certain current employees (e.g., those determined “full-time” for at least one month of the reporting year and/or those enrolled in self-insured coverage for at least one month of the report year), and certain former employees (e.g., retirees and COBRA enrollees enrolled in self-insured coverage for at least one month of the report year), and filing Form 1094 and copies of Form 1095 with the IRS. HCA provides SEBB organizations with prior-year medical enrollment data to support their preparation of Forms 1095 in early January each year. HCA provides data files that include all employee enrollment data, as well as former employee enrollment data for those former employees enrolled in self-insured coverage.  All Uniform Medical Plan coverage is “self-insured” coverage.

Note:  IRS Notice 2019-63 (Dec. 2, 2019) provided relief from certain aspects of the 2019 information-reporting requirements under Internal Revenue Code sections 6055 and 6056.

Yes, the SEBB Program meets the affordability requirements.

As of January 1, 2024, the SEBB Program administers medical, dental, and vision coverage for board members interested in enrolling in these benefits. SEBB organizations no longer contract with the Health Care Authority to provide Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) benefits for board members.

Board members include the board of directors of a school district as governed by chapter 28A.343 RCW and the board of directors of an educational service district (ESD) as governed by chapter 28A.310 RCW.

Interested board members should be directed to contact customer service at 1-800-200-1004. Learn more about health insurance options available for board members.

No, only tobacco products are included.

Yes. Monthly medical premiums, along with applicable premium surcharges, are deducted from paychecks pretax, unless the employee arranges with their payroll or benefits office to have their premiums and applicable premium surcharges deducted posttax.