(1) A school employee or a school employee's dependent who loses eligibility for the employer contribution toward school employees benefits board (SEBB) benefits and who qualifies for continuation coverage under the federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) may continue coverage for all or any combination of medical, dental, or vision.

(2) A school employee or a school employee's dependent may continue SEBB health plan coverage under COBRA by self-paying the premium and applicable premium surcharges set by the health care authority (HCA):

(a) The election must be received by the SEBB program no later than sixty days from the date the school employee's or school employee's dependent's SEBB health plan coverage ended or from the postmark date on the election notice sent by the SEBB program, whichever is later;

(b) The first premium payment under COBRA coverage and applicable premium surcharges are due to the HCA no later than forty-five days after the election period ends as described in (a) of this subsection. Following the enrollee's first premium payment, premiums and applicable premium surcharges must be paid as described in WAC 182-30-040;

(c) COBRA continuation coverage enrollees who voluntarily terminate their COBRA coverage will not be eligible to reenroll in COBRA coverage unless they regain eligibility as described in WAC 182-31-040. Those who request to terminate their COBRA coverage must do so in writing. COBRA coverage will end on the last day of the month in which the SEBB program receives the termination request or on the last day of the month specified in the enrollee's termination request, whichever is later. If the termination request is received on the first day of the month, COBRA coverage will end on the last day of the previous month;

(d) A school employee enrolled in a medical flexible spending arrangement (FSA) and the school employee's dependents will have an opportunity to continue making contributions to their medical FSA by electing COBRA if on the date of the qualifying event, as described under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 300bb-3, the school employee's medical FSA has a greater amount in remaining benefits than remaining contribution payments for the current year. The election must be received by the contracted vendor no later than sixty days from the date the SEBB health plan coverage ended or from the postmark date on the election notice sent by the contracted vendor, whichever is later. The first premium payment under COBRA coverage is due to the contracted vendor no later than forty-five days after the election period ends as described above.

(3) Medical, dental, and vision coverage under COBRA begin on the first day of the month following the day the COBRA enrollee loses eligibility for the employer contribution as described in WAC 182-31-050.