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Benefit Access Fees

Spouse Benefit Access Fees

What is a Spouse Benefit Access Fee?

The Spouse Benefit Access Fee is a monthly payroll deduction that helps offset the cost of providing medical plan coverage to King County employees' spouses and state-registered domestic partners. The amount depends on your employee benefit group and the medical plan you enroll in, as detailed below. There are no Benefit Access Fees for covering children on your medical plan and Spouse Benefit Access Fees do not apply to dental and vision coverage. 

Who pays a Spouse Benefit Access Fee?

If you cover a spouse or state-registered domestic partner on your King County medical plan, you will pay a monthly Benefit Access Fee for their coverage. The Spouse Benefit Access Fee automatically applies each year you cover your spouse or partner on your medical plan. 

How much is the Spouse Benefit Access Fee?

The Spouse Benefit Access Fee is monthly, and the amount depends on your employee benefit group and the medical plan you enroll in, as follows: 

benefit-access-fee-chart

Exemptions to the Benefit Access Fee

If you qualify for one of the following exemptions to the Spouse Benefit Access Fee, you must declare the exemption on the Benefits Enrollment Form when first eligible for benefits and again each year during Open Enrollment, Nov. 1–15. 

  • Your spouse or domestic partner does not have access to medical coverage through their own employer or they are self-employed or not employed.
  • Your spouse or domestic partner is a King County benefits-eligible employee.
  • You elect the SmartCare (Kaiser) medical plan, which does not have a Spouse Benefit Access Fee. Note: This exemption does not apply to the Deputy Sheriff employee benefit group.

If you later qualify for an exemption, you may discontinue the Spouse Benefit Access Fee, however, any fees already deducted will not be reimbursed.

Benefits and retirement
 

Phone 206-684-1556
Fax: 206-296-7700

Phone hours:
9 a.m. – 4 p.m. weekdays
Payroll

Fax: 206-296-7678

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