PDFWAC 182-12-260

Who are eligible dependents?

To be enrolled in PEBB benefits, a dependent must be eligible under this section and the subscriber must comply with enrollment procedures outlined in WAC 182-12-262.
The public employees benefits board (PEBB) program verifies the eligibility of all dependents and will request documents from subscribers that provide evidence of a dependent's eligibility. The PEBB program reserves the right to review a dependent's eligibility at any time. The PEBB program will remove a subscriber's enrolled dependents from health plan enrollment if the PEBB program is unable to verify a dependent's eligibility. The PEBB program will not enroll dependents into PEBB benefits if the PEBB program is unable to verify a dependent's eligibility within the PEBB program enrollment timelines.
The subscriber must provide notice, in writing, when their dependent is not eligible under this section as described in WAC 182-12-262 (2)(a).
The following are eligible as dependents:
(1) Legal spouse. A former spouse is not an eligible dependent upon finalization of a divorce or annulment, even if a court order requires the subscriber to provide health insurance for the former spouse;
(2) State registered domestic partner. A former state registered domestic partner is not an eligible dependent upon dissolution or termination of a partnership, even if a court order requires the subscriber to provide health insurance for the former partner;
(3) Children. Children are eligible through the last day of the month in which their twenty-sixth birthday occurred except as described in (g) of this subsection. Children are defined as the subscriber's:
(a) Children based on establishment of a parent-child relationship as described in RCW 26.26A.100, except when parental rights have been terminated;
(b) Children of the subscriber's spouse, based on the spouse's establishment of a parent-child relationship, except when parental rights have been terminated. The stepchild's relationship to the subscriber (and eligibility as a dependent) ends on the same date the marriage with the spouse ends through divorce, annulment, dissolution, termination, or death;
(c) Children for whom the subscriber has assumed a legal obligation for total or partial support in anticipation of adoption of the child;
(d) Children of the subscriber's state registered domestic partner, based on the state registered domestic partner's establishment of a parent-child relationship, except when parental rights have been terminated. The child's relationship to the subscriber (and eligibility as a dependent) ends on the same date the subscriber's legal relationship with the state registered domestic partner ends through divorce, annulment, dissolution, termination, or death;
(e) Children specified in a court order or divorce decree for whom the subscriber has a legal obligation to provide support or health care coverage;
(f) Extended dependent in the legal custody or legal guardianship of the subscriber, the subscriber's spouse, or subscriber's state registered domestic partner. The legal responsibility is demonstrated by a valid court order and the child's official residence with the custodian or guardian. Extended dependent child does not include a foster child unless the subscriber, the subscriber's spouse, or the subscriber's state registered domestic partner has assumed a legal obligation for total or partial support in anticipation of adoption; and
(g) Children of any age with a developmental or physical disability that renders the child incapable of self-sustaining employment and chiefly dependent upon the subscriber for support and maintenance provided such condition occurs before the age of twenty-six:
(i) The subscriber must provide proof of the disability and dependency within sixty days of the child's attainment of age twenty-six;
(ii) The subscriber must notify the PEBB program, in writing, when the child is no longer eligible under this subsection as described in WAC 182-12-262 (2)(a);
(iii) A child with a developmental or physical disability who becomes self-supporting is not eligible under this subsection as of the last day of the month in which they become capable of self-support;
(iv) A child with a developmental or physical disability age twenty-six and older who becomes capable of self-support does not regain eligibility under (i) of this subsection if they later become incapable of self-support; and
(v) The PEBB program with input from the applicable contracted vendor will periodically verify the eligibility of a dependent child with a disability beginning at age twenty-six, but no more frequently than annually after the two-year period following the child's twenty-sixth birthday, which may require renewed proof from the subscriber.
(4) Parents.
(a) Parents covered under PEBB medical before July 1, 1990, may continue enrollment on a self-pay basis as long as:
(i) The parent maintains continuous enrollment in PEBB medical;
(ii) The parent qualifies under the Internal Revenue Code as a dependent of the subscriber;
(iii) The subscriber continues enrollment in PEBB insurance coverage; and
(iv) The parent is not covered by any other group medical plan.
(b) Parents eligible under this subsection may be enrolled with a different health plan than that selected by the subscriber. Parents may not add additional dependents to their PEBB insurance coverage.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, and PEBB policy resolutions. WSR 19-17-073 (Admin #2019-01), § 182-12-260, filed 8/20/19, effective 1/1/20; WSR 18-20-117 (Admin #2018-02), § 182-12-260, filed 10/3/18, effective 1/1/19; WSR 17-19-077 (Order 2017-01), § 182-12-260, filed 9/15/17, effective 1/1/18. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, 2016 c 67, and PEBB policy resolutions. WSR 16-20-080, § 182-12-260, filed 10/4/16, effective 1/1/17. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160, 2015 c 116, and PEBB policy resolutions. WSR 15-22-099 (PEBB Admin # 2015-01 Rev 1), § 182-12-260, filed 11/4/15, effective 1/1/16. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 4s. WSR 14-20-058 (PEBB Admin 2014-02), § 182-12-260, filed 9/25/14, effective 1/1/15. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 2012 2nd sp.s. c 3. WSR 13-22-019 (Admin. 2013-01), § 182-12-260, filed 10/28/13, effective 1/1/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160. WSR 12-20-022 (Order 2012-01), § 182-12-260, filed 9/25/12, effective 11/1/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 2011 c 8. WSR 11-22-036 (Order 11-02), § 182-12-260, filed 10/26/11, effective 1/1/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160. WSR 10-20-147 (Order 10-02), § 182-12-260, filed 10/6/10, effective 1/1/11; WSR 09-23-102 (Order 09-02), § 182-12-260, filed 11/17/09, effective 1/1/10; WSR 08-20-128 (Order 08-03), § 182-12-260, filed 10/1/08, effective 1/1/09; WSR 07-20-129 (Order 07-01), § 182-12-260, filed 10/3/07, effective 11/3/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160, 41.05.350, and 41.05.165. WSR 05-16-046 (Order 05-01), § 182-12-260, filed 7/27/05, effective 8/27/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 41.05.165. WSR 04-18-039, § 182-12-260, filed 8/26/04, effective 1/1/05.]