Section 182-16-030 - How can a current or former employee or an employee's dependent appeal a decision made by a state agency about eligibility, premium surcharge, or enrollment in benefits?(1) An eligibility, premium surcharge, or enrollment decision made by an employing state agency may be appealed by submitting a written request for review to the employing state agency. The employing state agency must receive the request for review no later than thirty days after the date of the initial denial notice. The contents of the request for review are to be provided as described in WAC 182-16-040. (a) Upon receiving the request for review, the employing state agency shall make a complete review of the initial denial by one or more staff who did not take part in the initial denial. As part of the review, the employing state agency may hold a formal meeting or hearing, but is not required to do so.(b) The employing state agency shall render a written decision within thirty days of receiving the request for review. The written decision shall be sent to the employee or employee's dependent who submitted the request for review.(c) A copy of the employing state agency's written decision shall be sent to the employing state agency's administrator or designee and to the public employees benefits board (PEBB) appeals manager. The employing state agency's written decision shall become the employing state agency's final decision effective fifteen days after the date it is rendered.(d) The employing state agency may reverse eligibility, premium surcharge, or enrollment decisions based only on circumstances that arose due to delays caused by the employing state agency or errors made by the employing state agency.(2) Any current or former employee or employee's dependent who disagrees with the employing state agency's decision in response to a request for review, as described in subsection (1) of this section, may appeal that decision by submitting a notice of appeal to the PEBB appeals committee. The PEBB appeals manager must receive the notice of appeal no later than thirty days after the date of the employing state agency's written decision on the request for review. The contents of the notice of appeal are to be provided as described in WAC 182-16-040.
(a) The PEBB appeals manager shall notify the appellant in writing when the notice of appeal has been received.(b) The PEBB appeals committee shall render a written decision to the appellant within thirty days of receiving the notice of appeal. The committee may extend the thirty-day time requirement for rendering a decision upon issuing a written finding of a good reason explaining the cause for the delay.(c) Any appellant who disagrees with the decision of the PEBB appeals committee may request an administrative hearing, as described in WAC 182-16-050.Wash. Admin. Code § 182-16-030
Amended by WSR 14-08-040, filed 3/26/14, effective 4/26/2014Amended by WSR 14-20-058, Filed 9/25/2014, effective 1/1/2015Amended by WSR 16-20-080, Filed 10/4/2016, effective 1/1/2017Amended by WSR 17-19-077, Filed 9/15/2017, effective 1/1/2018Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160. 12-20-022 (Order 2012-01), § 182-16-030, filed 9/25/12, effective 11/1/12; 10-20-147 (Order 10-02), § 182-16-030, filed 10/6/10, effective 1/1/11; 09-23-102 (Order 09-02), § 182-16-030, filed 11/17/09, effective 1/1/10; 08-20-128 (Order 08-03), § 182-16-030, filed 10/1/08, effective 1/1/09; 07-20-129 (Order 07-01), § 182-16-030, filed 10/3/07, effective 11/3/07; 97-21-128, § 182-16-030, filed 10/21/97, effective 11/21/97. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.010 and 34.05.250. 91-14-025, § 182-16-030, filed 6/25/91, effective 7/26/91.