ACA employment status and eligibility

ASU employees may be eligible for Affordable Care Act benefits 

You may be eligible for ACA benefits if you meet the following criteria:  

• Business leave, hold or short work break without benefits.
• Reduction of your position’s standard hours to less than 20 hours per week.
• Rehired into a non-benefits eligible position within 26 weeks of separation — i.e., retirement or termination — from a benefits-eligible position.
• Termination of your benefits-eligible position while remaining employed in a non-benefits-eligible position.

Upon determination of eligibility for benefits under the Affordable Care Act, employees will be notified by email. The email will provide specific information and instructions tailored to the employee's circumstances. Refer to the ACA benefits eligibility chart.

Department responsibilities

Contact ASU ACA Compliance regarding employees meeting any of the criteria listed above. The ASU ACA compliance team will determine if further action is required and advise accordingly.

Enrolling or declining coverage 

The ACA does not require you to enroll in benefits offered by ASU. However, whether you enroll or decline these benefits, you will be automatically enrolled in a university-paid basic life insurance policy equal to your annual salary.

If you decline coverage, complete the process by declining all coverage to HR Benefits within the 30-calendar-day enrollment period. Failure to complete the process within this timeframe will result in no changes to your current elections.

Premiums for elected coverage are withheld from your biweekly paychecks. If you don’t receive a biweekly paycheck, we will send an invoice to your home address listed in My ASU. If you fail to remit premiums for your share of the costs by the due date, your coverage will terminate at midnight on the last day of the pay period in which premiums were paid in full. Further, you will forfeit your right to continue coverage under federal COBRA regulations. 

ACA termination coverage conditions

ACA benefits continue for one year or the stability period if eligibility is met following the initial measurement period.

• Eligibility after one year is then determined for the next year, following the standard measurement period. 
• If eligibility is not met following the standard measurement period, coverage may terminate at midnight on the last day of the pay period in which your last day of eligibility occurs.
• You will have the opportunity to continue your medical, dental or vision coverage under the federal COBRA regulations. Information will be mailed to your home by the Arizona Department of Administration Benefit Services Division.

ACA benefits continue through the end of the calendar year if eligibility is met following the standard measurement period. 

• Eligibility in the next calendar year is then determined during the standard measurement period. 
• Coverage may terminate at midnight on the last day of the pay period in which the last day of the calendar year occurs. 
• You will be given the opportunity to continue your medical, dental or vision coverage under the federal COBRA regulations. Information will be mailed to your home by the Arizona Department of Administration Benefit Services Division.

If ASU employment is; terminated, coverage ends at midnight on the last day of the pay period in which your last day worked occurs. You will be given the opportunity to continue your medical, dental or vision coverage under the federal COBRA regulations. Information will be mailed to your home by the Arizona Department of Administration Benefit Services Division.

Options for ACA after coverage terminates 

• Arizona Department of Administration offers retiree insurance and COBRA.  
• Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System —  Arizona’s Medicaid.
• Arizona State Retirement System is for eligible retirees only.
• Arizona State University Benefits Office — This applies if regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week for at least 90 days in a non-student position.
• Contact your current provider to convert your policy to a personal health care insurance policy.
• Health Insurance Marketplace
• Medicare