Leave & COBRA Options

Insurance While on Leave

The State allows employees to take paid and unpaid leaves of absence for a variety of reasons. For more about when and under what circumstances a leave may be approved, contact your agency’s human resources office.

You may be able to continue your group insurance coverages for a period of time while you are on an approved leave. Please consult your human resource office for details about:

Leave Without Pay (LWOP)
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Leave With Pay
Disability Leave

Keep in mind, after your group insurance medical and dental coverages end, you may qualify for continued coverage through COBRA.

Can I continue my FSA?

After eligibility for group insurance coverage ends, employees enrolled in the FSA may be eligible to continue their Health Care Flexible Spending Account participation, but only on a post-tax contribution basis if their account balance exceeds contributions when employment ends. To continue coverage, the insured person must elect coverage within sixty (60) days after group coverage terminates.

COBRA Qualifying Event

After your eligibility for group insurance coverage ends, you may be able to purchase continued medical and dental, on an individual basis, for a period of time under a federal law known as the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA).

Employees and/or dependents may be able to elect a COBRA continuation of medical and dental coverages. You may elect COBRA dental coverage independent of COBRA medical coverage.

COBRA Qualifying Event	Individuals Eligible for COBRA	Duration of COBRA Coverage
Employee's termination of employment or reduction of work hours	Employee, Spouse, Dependent child	Up to 18 months from the date Active plan coverage ends
Employee's death Divorce or legal seperation	Spouse, Dependent child	Up to 36 months from the date Active plan coverage ends
Loss of dependent child status	Dependent child	Up to 36 months from the date Active plan coverage ends

If another qualifying event takes place during the eighteen (18) month continuation period that would entitle a dependent to a longer period of continued coverage, the COBRA period may be extended. At the most, however, coverage cannot be extended past thirty-six (36) months from the date active plan coverage terminated.

Can I use my Sick Leave balance to pay COBRA premiums?

No, the IRS does not allow for sick leave funds to be used to pay for COBRA premiums.

Termination of COBRA

Coverage will end on the earliest of the following dates:

At the end of the applicable coverage continuation period;
The date the required contributions are no longer made;
The date the COBRA participant becomes entitled to Medicare;
The date the COBRA participant becomes covered by any other group health plan; or
The date the State terminates health care coverage for all employees.

Refer to the medical and dental plan contracts for more details about COBRA’s:

qualifying events
extensions
election
termination
conversion privileges

COBRA Administration & Rates

Blue Cross of Idaho administers COBRA coverage for state of Idaho group members.

To request an informational/enrollment packet, contact Blue Cross directly at 208-395-8211.

FY2024 COBRA Premium rates – Start July 1, 2023

FY2023 COBRA Premium rates – July 2022 to June 2023

FY2024 COBRA Rates – MEDICAL

Enrollee	High Deductible Plan	PPO Plan	Traditional Plan
Subscriber	$528	$717	$798
Subscriber and Spouse	$1,141	$1,549	$1,724
Subscriber and Child	$739	$1,004	$1,117
Subscriber and Children	$1,046	$1,420	$1,580
Subscriber, Spouse and Child	$1,347	$1,829	$2,035
Subscriber, Spouse and Children	$1,727	$2,345	$2,610

FY2024 COBRA Rates – DENTAL

Enrollee	Rates
Subscriber	$33
Subscriber and Spouse	$65
Subscriber and Child	$63
Subscriber and Children	$107
Subscriber, Spouse and Child	$95
Subscriber, Spouse and Children	$148