Employees who have qualifying other group medical coverage may receive "cash option" in lieu of enrolling in District provided medical benefits. Enrollment in "cash option" may only happen during initial enrollment or Open Enrollment. Participants in "cash option" receive a monthly amount added to their paycheck. For employees hired before January 1, 2011, the monthly amount is $352. For employees hired after January 1, 2011, the monthly amount is $175. For employees hired on January 1, 2024 or after are no longer eligible for the "Cash Option" benefit.

Employees who currently have the Cash Option benefit are grandfathered in and can kept the benefit as long as they do not make changes to their current status of waiving medical. If an employee enrolls into a BUSD medical plan, they are no longer considered grandfathered in and are not eligible for the cash in lieu of benefits. Any employee ending their medical with BUSD can waive their medical; However, the employee will no longer be eligible for the Cash Option benefit regardless of their hire date.

To participate in "Cash Option" or "Waiving your Medical," employees must complete a Waiver of Group Medical Coverage form linked on the button below. If the verification of other group medical coverage is provided on the Waiver of Group Medical Coverage form by the employer or agency through whom medical coverage is provided, no additional information is needed. If the employer or agency does not complete their portion of the waiver, the employee must provide proof of coverage that includes the group number of the coverage as well as the names of all those covered by the policy and effective date.

Eligibility for "Cash Option" or "Waiving Medical" is reestablished every year during Open Enrollment. This includes completing a new Waiver of Group Medical Coverage and providing the relevant proof as needed. This has to be completed EVERY year you waive your medical regardless if you receive the "Cash Option" benefit or not.

Participants in "cash option" must notify BUSD Benefits Specialist immediately if they have a loss of coverage. BUSD Benefits Specialist will work with the employee to enroll them in a District medical plan. This needs to be completed within 30-60 days of your loss of coverage.

IF WAIVING MEDICAL YOU MUST COMPLETE THE 2 PART PROCESS BELOW

This process needs to be completed during your New Hire Enrollment. Information provided during new hire enrollment is for your new hire enrollment requirements only. You will be asked to complete this process again during Open Enrollment. You will need to complete both steps again regardless for every year you are waiving your medical.

To waive your medical for you MUST complete the 2-part process below.

PART 1- Benefit Bridge:

1. Log into Benefit Bridge.

2. Waive your medical.

3. Enroll into Dental on the employee level per policy. There is no cost on the employee level. Remember this is the only time you can add family to your dental plan. If you are under a 1.0 FTE please refer to your Health Benefits Table to see your out of pocket expense.

4. If you have completed your waiver requirements, you can upload the current years waiver and proof of other coverage into Benefit Bridge at this time.

5. Complete the summary tab all the way through to your electronic signature and submit. You will receive a confirmation email from Benefit Bridge that your request has been submitted.

PART 2 – Waiver Requirements:

1. Fill out your information on the current years waiver. This would have been provided to you in your Welcome to Benefits Email. If the Certification of Other Coverage is filled out by the employer providing your alternate health coverage, your form is complete. Please provide this form to Lisa Shaw within 30 days of your enrollment into Benefits or upload your waiver into Benefit Bridge during your benefit elections in Benefit Bridge. The upload button is available in the summary tab location.

2. If the employer providing your alternate health coverage cannot fill out the Certification of Other coverage, you must provide valid proof of other coverage with your 2024 wavier.

Medical cards are not accepted as proof of other coverage

Proof of other coverage must include the following: