Using Sick Leave - OFFICE OF GROUP INSURANCE

OGI & PERSI have agreements with some carriers to use PERSI-administered sick leave funds to pay premiums for voluntary retiree insurance options as permitted by statute including and limited to Medical, Dental, Vision, Long Term Care and/or Life Insurance. You must be drawing a retirement benefit from PERSI, the Judges’ Retirement Fund, or an ORP retirement account to utilize your sick leave funds. Some options do have restrictions based on age.

COBRA premiums are not an approved expense for Sick Leave Funds.

How to Pay for Approved Health Coverage with Sick Leave [PDF]

PERSI may have additional programs, not administered by OGI, that are available for the sick leave fund program (i.e. NCPERS).

Using Sick Leave Funds for Medicare Options

If you are receiving a PERSI retirement benefit from employment with the State of Idaho AND are age 65 or older, you may be eligible to use PERSI-administered sick leave funds to pay premiums for Medicare Supplement, Advantage and Part D plans.

If you are interested in obtaining information about plans available from these carriers, including premium rates, contact any or all of the carriers directly during their regular office hours listed below. Not all carriers offer all plan types, so you must contact the carrier directly to inquire about available plans.

Aetna Health & Life Company
1-833-495-2642
Hours: Monday thru Friday 7 am – 4 pm MT

Blue Cross of Idaho
1-208-286-3671
Hours: Seven Days a Week, 8 am – 8 pm MT

PacificSource (Medicare Advantage Only; Open Enrollment Oct 15 – Nov 7)
(Counties plans are sold: Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Valley, Gem, Payette, Boise, Canyon, Ada, Owyhee, Elmore, Camas, Blaine, Gooding, Lincoln, Jerome, Twin Falls)
Website: medicare.pacificsource.com
Phone: (855) 265-5969
Email: medicaresales@pacificsource.com
Hours: Mon – Fri, 8 am – 6 pm MT

Regence Blue Shield of Idaho
(Includes Regence affiliates in Washington, Oregon and Utah, and Asuris Northwest Health)
1-888-734-3623
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 am – 6 pm MT

Select Health
1-800-538-5038
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 am – 8 pm MT, Saturday, 9 am – 2 pm MT

United Healthcare/AARP
1-877-848-1479
Hours: Seven Days a Week, 8 am – 8 pm MT

When you enroll, you MUST tell your carrier that you want to be added to the “list bill” and have the premium deducted from your sick leave funds so that they can include you on their monthly billings to PERSI.

Attention Providers: If you wish to become a Medicare Supplement Insurance provider for the state of Idaho retirees, please view Procedures to Become an Approved Vendor.

Using Sick Leave Funds for Insurance Options

The list of approved vendors is listed below. You can be under age 65 to take advantage of some of these options. As additional carriers or coverages are approved they will be listed below. Some plans require a primary residence in the state of Idaho; confirm with your carrier at the time of enrollment.

Blue Cross of Idaho (Dental)
*Must reside in Idaho
1-888-GO-CROSS (888-462-7677)
Blue Cross Online Enrollment
Hours: Mon – Fri 8 am – 5 pm MT

Delta Dental of Idaho (Dental)
*Must reside in Idaho
1-888-296-5044
Delta Dental Online Enrollment
Hours: Mon – Thurs 8 am – 5 pm MT, Friday 8 am – 4 pm MT

Dental Blue Connect (Willamette Dental Group)
*Must reside in Idaho, Washington, or Oregon
1-888-492-2583, Option 0
Willamette Online Enrollment (administered by Blue Cross)
Hours: Mon – Fri 8 am – 5 pm MT

New York Life (Long Term Care)
1-208-338-6371
Hours: Mon – Fri 8 am – 5 pm MT

Blue Cross of Idaho (Access Medical Plans, under age 65)
1-888-GO-CROSS (888-462-7677)
Website: www.bcidaho.com/Access
BCI Access Plan Application [PDF]
Hours: Mon – Fri 8 am – 5 pm MT

PacificSource [AVAILABLE NOW for January 1 coverage; Open Enrollment Oct 15 – Dec 15]
Phone: (855) 330-2792, coverageadvisor@pacificsource.com
Website: www.pacificsource.com
Hours: Mon – Fri 8 am – 5 pm MT
If you enroll for medical, you can also enroll for PacificSource Dental coverage.

OGI Retiree Medical Plan (Limited eligibility)
Website: ogi.idaho.gov/retiree/eligibility-enrollment
208-332-1860
Hours: Mon – Fri 8 am – 5 pm MT

To utilize this benefit employees must retire directly from employment with the state of Idaho and be drawing a monthly retirement benefit. Except for the OGI Retiree Medical Plan eligibility criteria and the Access Plan maximum age, the other coverages have no age or hire-date restrictions are applicable to this benefit.

When you enroll, you MUST tell your carrier that you want the premium deducted from your sick leave funds so that they can include you on their monthly billings to PERSI.

Attention Providers: If you wish to become an approved insurance provider for this program that provides services to state of Idaho retirees, please review the Voluntary Retiree Insurance Procedures. You may also Contact Us with questions.