PEB Board reviews proposed 2025 plan premiums

On June 27, 2024, the Public Employees Benefits Board (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.

HCA introduced the following resolutions to the PEB Board:

  • PEBB 2024-28 – Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest (KPNW) Non-Medicare 2025 Premiums: The PEB Board authorizes the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest employee and non-Medicare retiree premiums.
  • PEBB 2024-29 – Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington (KPWA) Non-Medicare 2025 Premiums: The PEB Board authorizes the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington employee and non-Medicare retiree premiums.
  • PEBB 2024-30 – Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) Non-Medicare 2025 Premiums: The PEB Board authorizes the Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) employee and non-Medicare retiree premiums.
  • PEBB 2024-31 – Medicare explicit subsidy: The PEB Board authorizes the calendar year 2025 monthly Medicare Explicit Subsidy of $183 or 50% of premium, whichever is less.
  • PEBB 2024-32 – Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest (KPNW) Medicare Premium: The PEB Board authorizes the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest (KPNW) Medicare plan premium.
  • PEBB 2024-33 – Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington (KPWA) Medicare Premium: The PEB Board authorizes the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington (KPWA) Medicare plan premium.
  • PEBB 2024-34 – UnitedHealthcare (UHC) Medicare Premiums: The PEB Board authorizes the UnitedHealthcare (UHC) Medicare plan premiums.
  • PEBB 2024-35 – Premera Medicare Premiums: The PEB Board authorizes the Premera Medicare Supplement plan premiums.
  • PEBB 2024-36 – Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) Medicare Premium: The PEB Board authorizes the Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) Classic Medicare with Part D (PDP) plan premium.

The PEB Board approved the following resolutions:

  • PEBB 2024-25 — Evaluation criteria for contracts under RCW 41.05.065(9): The provision of property, casualty, and accident insurance plans and any related evaluation criteria included in prior Board policy decisions and resolutions is rescinded and replaced with the following: The Board adopts the evaluation criteria as presented at the June 13, 2024, Board meeting by which it shall evaluate contracts considered under RCW 41.05.065(9), as applicable.
  • PEBB 2024-26 — PEBB retiree insurance coverage deferral — Permanently live in a location outside of the United States: Effective January 1, 2025, retirees and survivors who are enrolled in Medicare may defer enrollment in PEBB retiree insurance coverage when they permanently live in a location outside of the United States. Evidence of continuous enrollment in a qualified coverage is waived while a retiree or survivor enrolled in Medicare lives outside of the United States. A retiree or survivor enrolled in Medicare who defers enrollment while permanently living outside of the United States will have the opportunity to enroll in a PEBB health plan when they return to the United States by submitting the required forms and proof of enrollment in Medicare Parts A and B within the HCA required enrollment timeframe.
  • PEBB 2024-27 — Automatic deferral — PEBB retiree insurance coverage for Medicare subscribers who permanently live in a location outside of the United States: All Medicare enrollees who are enrolled in UMP Classic Medicare with creditable drug coverage as of December 31, 2024, and permanently live outside of the United States, where the subscribers did not make an election during the PEBB annual open enrollment period held in 2024, will be automatically deferred from PEBB retiree insurance coverage with an effective date of January 1, 2025. These subscribers will be exempt from the deferral form requirement.

HCA staff provided presentations on the following:

  • Follow up from June 13 Board meeting to show the Moda Pharmacy Locator tool and the UMP Drug Price Check tools.
  • Provided an update on the annual procurement process and service area and benefit changes for 2025.
  • Introduced proposed premiums for employees and non-Medicare retirees for plan year 2025.
  • Provided updates for the Medicare plans, including proposed premiums for plan year 2025, explanation of how rates are set, and how possible changes to plan types could result in cost savings for members.
  • Gave a preview of the 2025 Board meeting schedule.

Next meeting

The next public meeting of the PEB Board is scheduled for July 11, 2024, at 9 a.m. Board members and the public may attend in person (masks are optional) or virtually via Zoom. A link or call-in number for virtual attendance will be noted on the meeting agenda and posted on the PEB Board Meetings and materials webpage.