GEBDB- Health Insurance Waiver

Date Adopted:                                       18 July 2007           

Current Review / Revision:                     9 October 2024

Emery County School District will provide a stipend to employees who waive health insurance benefits. Employees with questions about this program are encouraged to contact the District Benefits Specialist

Eligibility

1. The waiver option is available to full-time employees (as defined by the current Fringe Benefits policy).
2. Employees may waive coverage only if they provide evidence of other health insurance coverage.
3. Eligible employees may waive coverage upon hire or at any time thereafter. For those waiving coverage after hire, the waiver and corresponding stipend will begin the month after the waiver form is completed and signed. Health insurance coverage will terminate the last day of the month in which the waiver form is completed and signed. 
4. Waivers will remain in effect year after year, unless revoked by employee in writing.  If a Tier 1 participating employee has a change in the coverage type that they are eligible for (single, dual, or family), they should complete a new waiver form. The change in the stipend amount will be effective the following month.

Calculation of Stipend

1. Tier 1 Stipend: Eligible employees participating in the waiver program as of June 30, 2013 qualify for a Tier 1 stipend. The Tier 1 stipend amount is based on the coverage level the employee is currently eligible for. Eligibility for a Tier 1 stipend expires as soon as continuous participation in the waiver program terminates after July 1, 2013 for any reason. As of July 1, 2024, the Tier 1 stipend amount will increase by the same percentage increase as the base medical premium rate approved by the board. 
2. Tier 2 Stipend: Eligible employees who choose to participate in the waiver program on or after July 1, 2013, or whose eligibility for a Tier 1 stipend has expired for any reason, are eligible for a Tier 2 stipend. As of July 1, 2024, the Tier 2 stipend amount will increase by the same percentage increase as the base medical premium rate approved by the board. 

Payment of Stipend

1. All stipends will be monthly cash payments subject to applicable taxes.  As per URS rules, the medical waiver is not subject to retirement wages. 
2. The first month stipend payment will begin with the first full month of employment after verifying other medical coverage and employee submitting the medical waiver form to payroll.
3. The final month stipend will end with the last full month of employment with the district.  Teachers and other school-year contracts waivers will begin in September and continue throughout August for each contract year. 

Reinstatement of Health Insurance

1. Participating employees can revoke their waiver and reinstate health coverage as outlined below:

1. If the request for reinstatement is due to a qualifying event, the employee must re-enroll for health insurance within the established number of days from the qualifying event.
2.  If the request for reinstatement is not due to a qualifying event, the employee cannot re-enroll for health insurance until the next open enrollment period for health insurance (September 1^st-20^th).
3. Stipends will only be paid for months in which an employee does not receive any health insurance coverage.