Open Enrollment is May 3, 2019 – May 17, 2019 and changes become effective June 1, 2019. This is your opportunity to enroll or decline benefit elections. All benefits eligible associates are required to take action during the Open Enrollment period or you will lose coverage on May 31, 2019. You will not be eligible to make changes to coverage until the next open enrollment period, unless you experience a qualifying life event. Examples of qualifying events include marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of a child or an employment status change for yourself or your spouse.

8:59pm PT / 11:59pm ET on Friday, May 17, 2019.

Once you update your address in UltiPro, the update will automatically flow to our providers during the next scheduled update.

This is an industry best practice and supports us in keeping rates as low as possible for our associates.

During your online enrollment in UltiPro, you will be required to indicate whether your spouse has access to other coverage and whether or not the surcharge will apply.

Yes. Your spouse’s loss of coverage would be considered a qualifying life event, which means they could be enrolled in a PSEB medical plan, effective the first day following their loss of coverage and you would not be required to pay the surcharge. Written documentation from your spouse’s employer regarding the loss of coverage would be required within 30 days of the loss of coverage; along with completion of the Life Event enrollment in UltiPro. Contact the Benefits Team for more information.

When you enroll online in UltiPro, you will be required to indicate whether your spouse has access to other coverage and whether or not the surcharge will apply.

It is your responsibility to provide complete, accurate and timely information to the Benefits Team when you enroll in your benefits. We will not retroactively reimburse for surcharge amounts already paid however, we will help you update your spouse’s status on a go-forward basis. Contact the Benefits Team for more information.

The IRS regulations on Section 125 Cafeteria plans permit employers to allow associates to change their election mid-year if it is being done during the open enrollment of the associate’s spouse. For example, if PSEB’s open enrollment is effective June 1, but your spouse’s enrollment is effective January 1, the IRS would typically view a change during either enrollment period as valid. The IRS regulations also permits benefit changes mid-year if there is a significant change in the cost of the medical plan. As an example, the spousal surcharge, when applicable, is approximately $1,200/year and so could be a legitimate reason for a mid-year change. Check with your spouse’s employer to verify that they permit either of these IRS-qualified status changes.

No, the spousal surcharge only applies if your spouse stays on a PSEB medical plan when they are eligible for coverage through his/her own employer.

While he/she is employed and has access to employer provided coverage, you will have to pay the surcharge if you choose to add him/her to your PSEB medical plan. If he/she loses that coverage in the future, that is a qualifying life event, and you will re-enroll in benefits at that time. Once processed, you will not be subject to the surcharge as long as your spouse remains ineligible for coverage through his/her own employer. Contact the Benefits Team within 30 days of the change in order to update your benefit coverage.

Yes, if you choose to keep him/her on a PSEB medical plan. You would need to update your dependent(s) information to change your spouse’s status.   Contact the Benefits Team within 30 days of the change in order to update your benefit coverage.. The surcharge will take effect on the next available pay date following your updated status change.

No, the loss of a spouse’s employment and benefits is considered a qualifying life event that would allow an associate to enroll the spouse and any affected dependents into healthcare coverage through PSEB within 30 days of the qualifying event. Contact the Benefits Team to learn more.

No, you may cover your eligible dependent children on a PSEB medical plan of your choice without incurring the surcharge.  If your child(ren) are also employed by PSEB and eligible for coverage themselves, they are not eligible to be added to your coverage as an eligible dependent.

No, the surcharge applies only to the medical plan. If your spouse is only enrolled in the dental and/or vision plan, you will not be subject to the spousal surcharge.  You should choose “not enrolling in medical” when asked to attest to your spouse’s status during enrollment in UltiPro.

The surcharge will not apply when you pay the COBRA rate.

A healthcare spending account permits associates to set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified health-related expenses during the plan year. By setting aside the money on a pre-tax basis you are reducing your taxable income and the taxes you would pay on that money. The maximum contribution is $2,700 for the 2019 tax year. The funds can be used to pay for medical, dental, or vision expenses that are not covered by the plan for you or your family. Expenses that are not covered include items that are beneficial to your general health such as vitamins and herbal supplements.

Under IRS regulations, a married employee with a working spouse or a single parent may allocate up to $5,000 in pre-tax dollars to a dependent care account. Expenses payable through the account are those incurred in order to permit the individual (and if married, the spouse) to work, rather than caring for their dependent full-time. Divorced spouses with joint custody or married spouses who file separately are limited to $2,500 per year.

A commuter FSA allows you to pay for eligible commuter expenses including parking, subway, train, ferry, and bus expenses. The maximum you may contribute is $265 per month. This election may be changed monthly but will only be deducted from 24 pay periods per year (the first and second pay period each month, as applicable).

**Bellevue associates are eligible to either participate in the commuter FSA OR to receive an ORCA Pass/on-site parking subsidy, not both.

Expenses for non-debit card claims are reimbursed weekly. Claims submitted by Friday will be reimbursed the following week.

Dependents who qualify include children up to age 13 and any other dependent (such as a disabled spouse or elderly parent) who is physically or mentally incapable of self-support and who is claimed as a dependent on the employee’s federal tax return. Reimbursable expenses include care provided inside or outside the home, day care centers that meet state licensing requirements, and preschool tuition.

You will have an additional 30-days after termination to submit claims for reimbursement. However, you will only be reimbursed for services you received while you were employed (unless you are eligible to continue to contribute to your healthcare FSA through COBRA).

You are not allowed to keep any money left in your account at the end of the plan year. This is called the “use-it-or-lose-it” rule.

No, you may not change your annual election amount until the next open enrollment period. Only if there is a qualifying event may you change your election amount during the plan year. Examples of a qualifying event include marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of a child or an employment status change for yourself or your spouse.

Watch a 6-minute video to learn how to enroll in UltiPro by texting PSEB520 to 61759 or clicking here.

A few tips to get you started …

Review the eligibility chart on the Eligibility & Enrollment page. If you do not see all benefits for which you are eligible, please contact the Benefits Team.

Most likely, you’ve missed a required step along the way.  Scroll to the top of the confirmation screen and look for a blue box – this will give you detailed instructions on what you’ll need to correct prior to submitting your elections to the Benefits Team.  You need to make a selection on every screen, even benefits that are provided at no cost to you.

Yes! Return to the Open Enrollment session that you’d like to make changes to.  It will automatically take you to the Confirmation page.  Select the “Modify Elections” button. From there, you may make any changes that you’d like up until the 8:59pm PT / 11:59pm ET deadline on Friday, May 17.  Be sure to finalize all of your changes and hit Submit again before the deadline.

Return to the Open Enrollment session that you’d like to print a confirmation statement for. When you select the hyperlink, you will be taken directly to the confirmation screen.  Select the “print” button in the upper left to print a hard copy or PDF of your elections.

Please note: you will only be able to print your confirmation statement until the 8:59pm PT / 11:59pm ET deadline on May 17, 2019. After that time, you will need to contact The Benefits team to obtain a copy of your confirmation statement. You will also be able to review your benefits once the new plan period begins on June 1, 2019.