You may defer your enrollment in PEBB retiree medical and dental coverage under the following circumstances:  

1.   If you are continually covered under another comprehensive, employer-sponsored medical plan as an employee or an employee’s dependent.

2.   If you are covered under a federal retirement plan as a retiree or a retiree’s dependent.

3.   If you are enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B and a Medicaid program that provides creditable prescription drug coverage.  Your dependents may continue their PEBB health plan enrollment if they meet PEBB eligibility criteria and are not eligible for creditable coverage under a Medicaid program.

If you die, your surviving dependents who are eligible to continue health plan enrollment under WAC 182-12-265 may defer enrollment in PEBB retiree coverage while enrolled in coverage under any of the options 1-3 listed above, even if they were not enrolled at the time of your death. Your dependents must submit a written request to defer their coverage with us within 60 days after your death.

Surviving dependents of emergency services personnel killed in the line of duty may defer enrollment in PEBB retiree coverage while enrolled in comprehensive coverage through an employer, even if they were not enrolled at the time of your death. Your dependents must submit a written request to defer their PEBB retiree coverage with us within 180 days after the latter of:

• Your death.

• The date on your eligibility letter from the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems.

• The last day the surviving dependent was covered under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) coverage from your employer as described in WAC 182-12-250.

To defer medical and/or dental coverage in all instances, you must submit a PEBB-Sponsored Retiree Coverage Election Form to us stating that you wish to defer coverage, and the effective date of your deferral. You must submit this form before you defer coverage, or, if you are just retiring, within 60 days of when you are eligible to apply for PEBB retiree benefits.

Note: If you defer enrollment in a PEBB retiree medical plan, you may not enroll in a PEBB dental plan. However, you may continue retiree term life insurance coverage. You must select term life coverage at retirement and continue to pay premiums while you defer your medical coverage.