Employee edition | October 2024

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October For Your Benefit newsletter

The October For Your Benefit newsletter is all about open enrollment. You'll find everything you need to know about what's changing and what you need to do. Visit the Open Enrollment webpage for more information.

Open enrollment is October 28 through November 25.

This is your opportunity to make changes to your benefits for 2025. During open enrollment, you can:

• Enroll in vision, medical, and dental coverage
• Make changes to your benefits
• Add or remove dependents
• Enroll in an FSA or DCAP
• Attest to the spousal coverage premium surcharge

In this issue

• Important changes to your 2025 PEBB benefits
• Time to choose your vision plan!
• 2025 medical premiums
• In-person benefits fairs
• Virtual benefits fair
• Compare medical plans
• Who to contact for help
• Use Benefits 24/7 to make changes
• Reminders for open enrollment
• Summary of benefits and coverage available to you
• Annual notice of creditable prescription drug coverage

Important changes to your 2025 PEBB benefits

Find changes to your benefits, including:

• Medical plan service area changes.
• Plan changes, including new standalone vision plans and the vision hardware benefit increasing to up to $200 for prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses.
• Long-term disability (LTD) insurance rates will decrease for 2025.

Time to choose your vision plan!

Starting January 1, 2025, the PEBB Program will offer standalone vision plans, which means your routine vision coverage will be separate from your medical coverage. Routine vision coverage includes routine eye exams, eyeglass frames and lenses, and contact lenses. Treatment for medical conditions such as infections, eye diseases (like glaucoma), and eye injuries will still be covered under your PEBB medical plan. Compare vision plans.

2025 medical premiums

In-person benefits fairs

Virtual benefits fair

Compare medical plans

Who to contact for help

Use Benefits 24/7 to make changes

Log in to Benefits 24/7 from October 28 to November 25, 2024 to make changes to your coverage. Your changes must be made in Benefits 24/7 by midnight on November 25. Paper forms are available from your payroll or benefits office. Your payroll or benefits office must receive your forms by November 25. (WSU and UW employees use Workday.)

Reminders for open enrollment

Save money with an FSA or DCAP

Did you know there are benefits that allow you to set aside money from your paycheck before taxes to use for out-of-pocket costs? The flexible spending arrangement (FSA) (previously called the Medical FSA) and Limited Purpose FSA reimburse you for eligible health care expenses. The Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) reimburses you for certain child or elder care costs.

Remember your SmartHealth incentive

You can still qualify for a $125 SmartHealth incentive for 2025.

SmartHealth is your voluntary wellness program that supports whole person well-being. Each year, compete your well-being assessment. SmartHealth suggests activities that align with your assessment outcomes. Earn points for each activity you complete. Earn 2,000 points by the deadline to qualify for the wellness incentive. 

Reattest to the spouse or state-registered domestic partner coverage premium surcharge

The PEBB Program will mail you a letter if you must reattest for 2025. You can also check whether you need to reattest in Benefits 24/7.

You cannot enroll in both PEBB and SEBB coverage or on more than one PEBB account

If you are eligible for enrollment in both the PEBB and SEBB Programs, you are limited to a single enrollment in PEBB or SEBB medical, dental, and vision. You must choose which program you want to be enrolled in. If you do not take action to resolve the dual enrollment, the PEBB or the SEBB Program will automatically enroll or disenroll you as described in both WAC 182-12-123(6) and 182-31-070(6). You also cannot be enrolled in more than one PEBB account.

Summary of benefits and coverage available to you

The Affordable Care Act requires the PEBB Program and its medical plans to provide a Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC). These documents help you compare medical plan benefits, terms, and your costs for care from network and out-of-network providers.

To get an SBC for your current PEBB medical plan, visit the Medical plans and benefits webpage (or the plan’s website) to view or print it. You can also call your plan to ask for a paper copy at no charge. Your plan can also provide copies translated into other languages.

For questions, call the PEBB Program at 1-800-200-1004 (TRS: 711).

Annual notice of creditable prescription drug coverage

You will receive this notice each year in this newsletter, and you will also receive this notice if your PEBB coverage changes. You may request a copy of this notice at any time by calling the PEBB Program at 1-800-200-1004 (TRS: 711).

If you or a family member is (or will soon be) enrolled in Medicare, you may hear about your opportunity to enroll in Medicare Part D for prescription drug coverage.

Premera Blue Cross Medicare Supplement plans do not provide creditable prescription drug coverage. If you enroll in one, you will need to enroll in a Medicare Part D plan outside of PEBB.

All other PEBB retiree medical plans provide either Medicare Part D or creditable prescription drug coverage, so you do not have to enroll in a separate Medicare Part D plan. The prescription drug coverage offered by these PEBB retiree medical plans is expected to pay out, on average, as much as Medicare Part D coverage.

When you enroll in Medicare, you can keep your PEBB medical plan with creditable drug coverage and not pay a penalty if you enroll in Medicare Part D later. If you enroll in a Medicare Part D plan, your PEBB medical plan may not coordinate prescription drug benefits with Medicare Part D.

If you lose or terminate your current PEBB medical plan

To avoid paying a higher Medicare Part D plan late-enrollment penalty, you should enroll in a Medicare Part D plan within 63 days after your PEBB medical plan ends. If you enroll after the 63-day deadline, your Part D plan’s monthly premium may increase, depending on how long you don’t have creditable prescription drug coverage.

For questions about Medicare Part D

Visit the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website or call 1-800-633-4227.