Find information on the open enrollment page that’s right for you: PEBB retirees, PEBB employees and PEBB continuation coverage subscribers, and SEBB employees and SEBB continuation coverage subscribers.
Learn how benefits are paid for and whether you can pay your medical premium with pretax dollars.
If you are an employee who works for a state agency or higher education institution, your employer pays:
If you are an employee who works for a city, county, port, tribal government, water district, hospital, etc., contact your payroll or benefits office to find out what your employer pays.
There are four costs associated with your benefits.
You pay a monthly medical premium for yourself and any enrolled dependents on your account. Your medical premiums pay for a full calendar month of coverage. Your medical and life insurance premiums cannot be prorated for any reason, including when a member dies before the end of the month.
In addition to your monthly medical premium, you may be charged a $25 tobacco use premium surcharge if you or a dependent uses tobacco. You may be charged a $50 spouse or state-registered domestic partner coverage premium surcharge to enroll a spouse or partner who has other coverage available.
You are responsible for paying any out-of-pocket costs for deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments for services under the medical, dental, and vision plans you choose. Compare common benefits and costs for services for each medical, dental, and vision plan.
You can buy supplemental life and supplemental AD&D insurance for yourself and your eligible dependents.
You will be automatically enrolled in employee-paid LTD insurance, although you can reduce to a lower-cost coverage level or decline the coverage at any time. If you later decide to enroll in or increase coverage, you will have to provide evidence of insurability and be approved by the insurer
If you are an employee at a state agency or higher education institution, you pay for coverage with pretax dollars from your paycheck under the state's premium payment plan. That means unless you request otherwise, premiums and applicable premium surcharges are automatically deducted from your paycheck before taxes are taken out. (See related laws and rules.)
If you are not a state agency or higher education employee, ask your payroll or benefits office if they offer a pretax deduction benefit.
To comply with a federal or state mandate, your employer may also remove you from the premium payment plan, with notice, to prevent excess tax deferral.
For help, contact your payroll or benefits office. If you do not know who this is, ask your supervisor.
Yes. Submit a PEBB Premium Payment Plan Election/Change form to waive (opt out of) participation in the premium payment plan no later than 31 days after you become eligible for PEBB benefits. If you waive, your premiums will still be deducted from your paycheck after taxes.
Your eligibility date is generally the first day of employment. Check with your payroll or benefits office.
Paying your premiums pretax allows you to keep more money in your paycheck because the premium, applicable premium surcharges, and/or contributions are deducted before taxes are calculated. This reduces your taxable income, which lowers your taxes.
No. If you are a new employee enrolled in PEBB medical and your employer offers this benefit, your payroll or benefits office will automatically deduct the premiums before calculating taxes.
Only if they qualify as a dependent for tax purposes. (See related laws and rules.)
If your dependents do not qualify as your tax dependent, their monthly medical premiums and premium surcharges will appear as posttax deductions from your paycheck. However, you will be able to make premium payments for your own insurance coverage with pretax deductions.
If you enroll a nonqualified tax dependent (such as a state-registered domestic partner, their child, or an extended dependent), who does not qualify as a dependent for tax purposes, submit a Declaration of Tax Status.
Maybe. If you have your medical premiums deducted pretax, it may also affect the following benefits:
Yes. You may change your participation (enroll or opt out) during annual open enrollment or when a special open enrollment occurs. (See related laws and rules for details.)
Nonqualified dependents may qualify as a dependent for tax purposes under IRC Section 152, as modified by IRC Section 105(b).
Your payroll or benefits office