School employees benefits board (SEBB) insurance coverage premiums and applicable premium surcharges for all subscribers are due as described in this section, except when a SEBB organization is correcting its enrollment error as described in WAC 182-30-060 (4) or (5).

1. (1) Premium payments. SEBB insurance coverage premiums and applicable premium surcharges for all subscribers become due the first of the month in which SEBB insurance coverage is effective.

   1. (a) For subscribers not eligible for the employer contribution that are electing to enroll in continuation coverage as described in WAC 182-31-090, 182-31-100, 182-31-120, or 182-31-130, or electing to enroll as a school board member as described in WAC 182-31-200, the first premium payment and applicable premium surcharges are due to the health care authority (HCA) or the contracted vendor no later than 45 days after the election period ends as described within the Washington Administrative Code applicable to the subscriber. Premiums and applicable premium surcharges associated with continuing SEBB medical must be made to the HCA as well as premiums associated with continuing SEBB dental or vision insurance coverage. Premiums associated with life insurance coverage and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage must be made to the contracted vendor. Following the first premium payment, premiums and applicable premium surcharges must be paid as premiums become due.

      Exception:

      A subscriber enrolled in continuation coverage as defined in WAC 182-30-020 who is electing to enroll in another type of continuation coverage is not required to make the first premium payment and applicable premium surcharges to begin the new enrollment.

   2. (b) For school employees who are eligible for the employer contribution, premiums and applicable premium surcharges are due to the SEBB organization or contracted vendor. If a school employee elects supplemental coverage or employee-paid long-term disability (LTD) insurance, or is enrolled in employee-paid LTD insurance, as described in WAC 182-30-080 (1)(a) or (3)(a) or is enrolled in employee-paid LTD insurance as described in WAC 182-30-080 (1)(b) the school employee is responsible for payment of premiums from the month the supplemental coverage or employee-paid LTD insurance begins.

      Exception:

      A school employee who is on a leave of absence and maintains eligibility for the employer contribution, will have their premiums waived for their employee-paid LTD insurance for the first 90 days. For this purpose, "leave of absence" is defined as a paid or unpaid temporary or indefinite administrative leave, involuntary leave, sick leave, or insurance continued under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, or paid family and medical leave program as described in WAC 182-31-110.

   3. (c) Unpaid or underpaid premiums or applicable premium surcharges for all subscribers must be paid, and are due from the SEBB organization, subscriber, or a subscriber's legal representative to the HCA or the contracted vendor. For subscribers not eligible for the employer contribution, monthly premiums or applicable premium surcharges that remain unpaid for 30 days will be considered delinquent. A subscriber is allowed a grace period of 30 days from the date the monthly premiums or applicable premium surcharges become delinquent to pay the unpaid premium balance or applicable premium surcharges. If a subscriber, who is not eligible for the employer contribution, has monthly premiums or applicable premium surcharges remain unpaid for 60 days from the original due date, the subscriber's SEBB insurance coverage will be terminated retroactive to the last day of the month for which the monthly premiums and any applicable premium surcharges were paid. If it is determined by the HCA that payment of the unpaid balance in a lump sum would be considered a hardship, the HCA may develop a reasonable payment plan up to 12 months in duration with the subscriber or the subscriber's legal representative upon request.

   4. (d) Monthly premiums or applicable premium surcharges due from a subscriber who is not eligible for the employer contribution will be considered unpaid if one of the following occurs:

      1. (i) No payment of premiums or applicable premium surcharges are received by the HCA or the contracted vendor and the monthly premiums or applicable premium surcharges remain unpaid for 30 days; or
      2. (ii) Premium payments or applicable premium surcharges received by the HCA or the contracted vendor are underpaid by an amount greater than an insignificant shortfall and the monthly premiums or applicable premium surcharges remain underpaid for 30 days past the date the monthly premiums or applicable premium surcharges were due.

   Premiums and applicable premium surcharges are due from the subscriber for the entire month of SEBB insurance coverage and will not be prorated during any month.

2. (2) Premium refunds. SEBB insurance coverage premiums and applicable premium surcharges will be refunded using the following methods:

   1. (a) When a subscriber submits an enrollment change affecting subscriber or dependent eligibility, HCA may allow up to three months of accounting adjustments. HCA will refund to the individual or the SEBB organization any excess premiums and applicable premium surcharges paid during the 60-day adjustment period, except as indicated in WAC 182-31-120.

   2. (b) If a SEBB subscriber, dependent, or beneficiary submits a written appeal as described in WAC 182-32-2010, and provides clear and convincing evidence of extraordinary circumstances, such that the subscriber could not timely submit the necessary information to accomplish an allowable enrollment change within 60 days after the event that created a change of premiums, the SEBB director, the SEBB director's designee, or the SEBB appeals unit may:

      1. (i) Approve a refund of premiums and applicable premium surcharges that does not exceed 12 months of premiums; and
      2. (ii) Approve the enrollment change that was originally requested and which forms the basis for the refund.
   3. (c) If a federal government entity determines that an enrollee is retroactively enrolled in coverage (for example, medicare) the subscriber or beneficiary may be eligible for a refund of premiums and applicable premium surcharges paid during the time they were enrolled under the federal program if approved by the SEBB director or the SEBB director's designee.
   4. (d) HCA errors will be corrected by returning all excess premiums and applicable premium surcharges paid by the SEBB organization, subscriber, or beneficiary.
   5. (e) SEBB organization errors will be corrected by returning all excess premiums and applicable premium surcharges paid by the school employee or beneficiary as described in WAC 182-30-060 (4) and (5).

[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, 41.05.740, 2023 c 13 § 2, and 2023 c 51 § 3. WSR 24-15-107 (Admin #2024-01), § 182-30-040, filed 7/22/24, effective 1/1/25. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021 and 41.05.160. WSR 22-13-168 (Admin #2022-01), § 182-30-040, filed 6/21/22, effective 1/1/23. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160 and Policy resolutions SEBB 2021-11 and 2021-12. WSR 21-13-116 (Admin #2021-01.03), § 182-30-040, filed 6/21/21, effective 1/1/22. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160 and 2020 c 231. WSR 20-16-067 (Admin #2020-04), § 182-30-040, filed 7/28/20, effective 8/28/20. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, 2017 3rd sp.s. c 13, 2018 c 260, and SEBB policy resolutions. WSR 19-14-093 (Admin #2019-01), § 182-30-040, filed 7/1/19, effective 8/1/19. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160 and SEBB policy resolutions. WSR 19-01-055 (Admin #2018-01), § 182-30-040, filed 12/14/18, effective 1/14/19.]