Benefits Updates Spring Quarter 2025
Faculty Summer Pre-Collections
Starting in early May, HR (Benefits & Payroll) will begin conducting pre-collection eligibility reporting for faculty. Pre-collections are deducted from the eligible faculty’s June 25th paycheck to cover health care premiums for the summer months (July, August, and September).
For faculty members who are not eligible for pre-collections, their PEBB benefits may be terminated effective June 30th, 2025, or the last day of the month in which they are employed, if they are retiring, teaching, or separating from WWU during summer quarter. Faculty who lose PEBB benefits may be eligible to continue coverage through PEBB Continuous Coverage (COBRA) for up to 18 months. Depending on a faculty’s Academic Year 2025/2026 contract, PEBB benefits may be reinstated after summer quarter. Benefits will notify any eligible faculty under this provision in late August and early September 2025.
Additionally, faculty members teaching at other WA State higher education institutions should notify Benefits each academic year or quarter in which they have contract elsewhere. HCA has a stacking hours /contract provision for faculty regarding their eligibility. Stacking contracts may allow faculty to gain or maintain benefits if they are at risk of losing them under WWU.
Healthcare PEBB Events
When are PEBB Election Changes Allowed?
Short answer: Only during the annual open enrollment period or Special open enrollment events.
Benefits has received multiple inquiries regarding requests to change an employee’s PEBB medical, dental, or vision plan after electing a plan during open enrollment that does not include their current provider. While we understand the frustration of not being able to see a long-time provider, Benefits must adhere to Washington Administrative Codes (WAC) and HCA guidelines. According to these regulations, if the election error is not caused by the employer or the HCA, changes to PEBB elections are not permitted.
As a reminder, PEBB elections can only be changed during the annual open enrollment period or a special open enrollment event due to a qualifying life event. Please refer to the PEBB Special Open Enrollment webpage for eligible events: https://www.hca.wa.gov/employee-retiree-benefits/public-employees/what-special-open-enrollment.
When considering changes to their elections, employees must verify that their current medical, dental, or vision providers are "in-network" for the new plan. Employees should use the PEBB insurance provider's "Find a Provider" tool here: https://www.hca.wa.gov/employee-retiree-benefits/public-employees/find-pebb-plan-provider. It is not recommended to rely solely on the provider’s office for confirmation of in-network status.
For questions or assistance in ensuring coverage continuity, employees are encouraged to contact HR.Benefits@wwu.edu.
FSA Enrollment Changes: Specific Guidelines
Similar to employees making incorrect PEBB medical, dental, or vision elections during open enrollment, Benefits has received several requests from employees to correct their 2025 FSA enrollments. However, per PEBB guidelines, Benefits cannot make changes to an employee's FSA or DCAP account due to an incorrect enrollment.
Changes to FSA or DCAP enrollments are only permitted under the following circumstances:
- During the annual open enrollment period,
- In response to specific special open enrollment events, or
- Due to an employer or Navia processing error.
Requests for changes outside of these three conditions are not allowed mid-year, as Benefits must adhere to Washington State law and HCA guidelines. Employees will remain enrolled in their Navia account for the remainder of the 2025 plan year.
Employees considering enrolling in a medical FSA, limited-purpose FSA, or DCAP benefit should review the PEBB FSA webpage here or the PEBB Navia Enrollment Guides here to understand the eligible expenses for each account and determine their needs for the current or upcoming plan year.
Employee Assistance Program
Drop In Days - No Appointment Needed
Meet with Janelle Talley, Benefits Administrator, on Wednesdays from 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM and 1:45 PM - 4:30 PM. No walk ins on April 23, 30 and May 21. Please contact hr.benefits@wwu.edu for assistance.
Retirement Consultations
DRS with Jeff Wagner
Dates TBD for Spring and Summer 2025.
These meetings with Jeff are for current employees who hold an active DRS (PERS, TRS or LEOFF) plan as well as any employee who has an active Deferred Compensation Program (DCP) account. If you want guidance on how to retire with a DRS plan, what to estimate what your retirement pension payout may be or a bit more direction in how you can increase your DCP savings sign up for a 30-minute session with Jeff.
Sign ups are on a First come first serve bases when they become available.
Fidelity Sessions with Zackary Barkin
Dates TBD for Spring and Summer 2025.
More information will go out to employees who currently have an active URP or VIP account with Fidelity when they have been finalize. The scheduler for these consultations will be given in the email. Please note that these sessions fill up very quickly and are on a first come, first served basis.
Please note that employees can always phone Fidelity via the Contact Us page and ask any general questions about the plans as well.
TIAA with David Johnston
Dates TBD for Spring and Summer 2025.
David Johnston can meet with employees who currently have an URP or VIP account though TIAA. The scheduling link will go out to eligible employees to schedule a time to meet with David to go over their TIAA account and any additional questions they may have.
Ongoing processing and billing errors reported from the HCA
The open enrollment process last year uncovered several processing and billing errors within the HCA’s front-end system (Benefits 24/7) and back-end legacy system (PAY1). The HCA continues to identify, address, and resolve these issues, which have impacted all PEBB employers. These processing errors have resulted in premium reporting discrepancies, incorrect PEBB plan enrollments for employees and dependents, issues with dependent files not transferring to insurance companies, and inaccuracies in surcharges reporting.
The HCA has recently confirmed that vision plan enrollments for MetLife Plan members are now accurate. As a result, employees enrolled in either the MetLife or Davis Vision Plan can now log into their MetLife MyBenefits Account to view their vision plan details alongside their life insurance policy. Please note that there is no physical ID card for these plans, and the employer should be listed as WA State Health Care Authority PEBB and not WWU.
Given that errors are still affecting 2025 enrollments, and the HCA is unable to provide employers with a list of any impacted employees, Benefits requests that employees who made open enrollment changes in November 2024 or had elections effective since January 2025 take proactive steps to verify the accuracy of their enrollment and premium information. Please contact Benefits if you identify any PEBB discrepancies for the 2025 plan year, so we can work with the HCA to resolve these issues in a timely manner.