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Benefits Eligibility

Employees

All employees (Classified Staff, Professional Staff, and Faculty Members) are eligible to enroll in benefits if they are in a regular full-time, part-time, or temporary benefit-eligible position, assigned to work a minimum of 20 hours per week and appointed to a position lasting a minimum of five consecutive months. To confirm if you are a classified staff, professional staff, or faculty member, view your job offer letter.

Spouses

If Your Spouse is not a Boise State Employee:

  • Legal spouses can be added to benefits within 60 days of marriage, with coverage effective on the first of the following month.
  • Domestic partners and common-law spouses are not eligible.

If Your Spouse’s Employer is Participating in the State of Idaho Group Insurance Plan:

A participant cannot be covered as both an employee and as a dependent. If your spouse is in a benefit-eligible position, you have two options:

  • Option #1: One employee can waive medical coverage and be covered as a dependent spouse of the other
  • Option #2: Each employee can enroll in employee only coverage

If you and your spouse have dependent children, all of your dependent children will be covered under only one employee’s plan.

Dependents

Coverage is available for children under 26, including biological children, legally adopted children, stepchildren, and children under legal guardianship. Coverage ends on their 26th birthday.

However, Overaged Dependent Adult Children may be allowed on the plan if they have a qualifying disability. Please review the plan documents and call the carrier for specific details. The carrier may require you to complete certification paperwork as before allowing the enrollment of an overaged dependent adult child.

Affordable Care Act (ACA)

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a federal law that impacts healthcare coverage for employees and employers. If you work for a large employer group (typically defined as an employer with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees), here’s what you need to know:

  • Employer Mandate & Your Coverage: Large employers are required to offer affordable health insurance that provides minimum essential coverage (MEC) to full-time employees (working 30+ hours per week).
  • The offered plan must cover at least 60% of total healthcare costs and be affordable, meaning that employee contributions cannot exceed a certain percentage of household income.