does so, neither the employee nor their Dependent can enroll in PEBB medical except during the Annual Open Enrollment or a special open enrollment. In most situations, an employee and their Dependent can defer Medicare Part B enrollment without a penalty while enrolled in PEBB medical coverage. When the employee terminates employment, the employee and the Dependent can enroll in Medicare Part B during a special enrollment period. If Medicare eligibility is due to a disability, the employee or their Dependent must contact the Social Security Administration about deferring enrollment in Medicare Part B. Upon retirement, Medicare will become the primary insurance payer, and the PEBB medical plan will become secondary. See “PEBB Retiree Insurance Coverage.” Continuation Coverage Subscriber, a retired employee of a former employer group, or their Dependent If a Continuation Coverage Subscriber, a retired employee of a former employer group, or their Dependent becomes eligible for Medicare, federal regulations allow enrollment in Medicare three months before they turn age 65. If they do not enroll within three months before the month they turn age 65, enrollment in Medicare may be delayed. If enrollment in Medicare does not occur when the Subscriber or their Dependent is first eligible, a late enrollment penalty may apply. When Medical Coverage Begins Employees and Dependents For a newly eligible employee and their eligible Dependents, medical coverage begins the first day of the month following the date the employee becomes eligible. If the employee becomes eligible on the first working day of the month, then coverage begins on that date. If the eligible employee is a faculty member hired on a quarter-to-quarter or semester-to-semester basis, medical coverage begins the first day of the month following the beginning of the second consecutive quarter or semester. If the first day of the second consecutive quarter or semester is the first working day of the month, medical coverage begins on that day. For an employee regaining eligibility, including following a period of leave or after being between periods of leave as described in PEBB Program rules, and their eligible Dependents, medical coverage begins the first day of the month the employee is in pay status eight or more hours. If the employee is a faculty member regaining eligibility no later than the 12th month after the month in which they lost eligibility for the employer contribution toward PEBB benefits, medical coverage begins the first day of the month in which the quarter or semester begins. Note: When an employee who is called to active duty in the uniformed services under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) loses eligibility for the employer contribution toward PEBB benefits, they regain eligibility for the employer contribution toward PEBB benefits the day they return from active duty. Medical coverage begins the first day of the month in which the employee returns from active duty. Continuation Coverage Subscribers and Dependents For a Continuation Coverage Subscriber and their eligible Dependents enrolling when newly eligible due to a qualifying event, medical coverage begins the first day of the month following the day they lost eligibility for PEBB medical plan coverage. EWCLGDED1983ACT0124 19 WAPEBB-CL-ACT