For the state, representatives from the Office of Financial Management (OFM) directly negotiate with a coalition of school employee unions, with staff support from the Health Care Authority (HCA).

The results of bargaining are applied to all employees of school districts and charter schools, regardless of their representation status, and to all represented employees of educational service districts.

RCW 41.56.500 (3) requires that the state bargain for all school employees with a coalition representing school employee unions across the state over funding for health care benefits governed by the SEBB program. By law, the purpose of bargaining is to determine the dollar amount to be contributed on behalf of each employee for health care benefits. The bargaining is not intended to restrict the type, quality, or specific benefit offerings that the SEBB Program offers.

No. The employee can choose which SEBB Organization to participate in. Only that organization pays the employer contribution. 

If new employees who are eligible for SEBB benefits do not either enroll in or waive SEBB Program medical coverage within SEBB timelines, they will be automatically enrolled in the benefits below. They will also be charged a $25-per-month tobacco use premium surcharge. This surcharge can be stopped if the employee attests that they do not use tobacco. Attestation can be done either in Benefits 24/7 or on a paper enrollment form.

• Medical: UMP Achieve 1
• Dental: Uniform Dental Plan (no premium)
• Vision: MetLife vision (no premium)
• Basic life: MetLife (no premium)
• Basic accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D): MetLife (no premium)
• Basic long-term disability (LTD): The Standard (no premium)

No. The tobacco use and spouse or state-registered domestic partner coverage premium surcharges do not apply if medical coverage is waived.

No. They can only waive SEBB medical coverage if they are enrolled in other employer-based group medical insurance, a TRICARE plan, or Medicare Part A and Part B. Retirement policies are not employer-based, so they do not qualify. See WAC 182-12-128 for additional information.

The formula for insuring SEBB organization employees and their dependents includes an estimated rate of employee waivers. If anticipated waivers weren’t factored in, that uncertainty would need to be funded by raising the amount employers pay  per employee for benefits. The state pools funds to pay for everyone enrolled in the program. Also, keep in mind that employees who waive medical will still receive other benefits.

Yes. Dependents must be enrolled in the same health plans as the subscriber. This applies whether the subscriber is enrolled in medical or waives it.

All eligible school employees must be enrolled in SEBB benefits.

An eligible employee can waive SEBB medical coverage when newly eligible or during the SEBB Program’s annual open enrollment if they are enrolled in other employer-based group medical insurance, a TRICARE plan, or Medicare.

Eligible employees who waive enrollment in medical must enroll in SEBB dental, vision, basic life and AD&D insurance, and employer-paid long-term disability insurance for themselves. However, dual enrollment prohibition rules do allow an employee to waive SEBB medical, vision, and dental to enroll in Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) medical (with vision) and dental (WAC 182-31-080).

If an employee waives SEBB medical coverage:

• They cannot enroll their eligible dependents in SEBB medical coverage.
• The premium surcharges will not apply to them.
• They will be able to access SmartHealth, the online health and wellness portal but they will not be able to earn the incentives. Their spouse or state-registered domestic partner will not have SmartHealth access.
• They can reenroll later during the annual open enrollment or if they have a qualifying special open enrollment event.

Reminder that eligible employees do not pay a premium for dental or vision coverage.