HB0157 - State employees group insurance-retirees.

 

2001

State of Wyoming

01LSO-0419

 

 

 

HOUSE BILL NO.  HB0157

 

 

State employees group insurance-retirees.

 

Sponsored by:  Representative(s) McOmie and Senator(s)
Goodenough

 

 

A BILL

 

for

 

 1  AN ACT relating to the State Employees and Officials Group
 2  Insurance Act; providing for eligibility of retired state
 3  employees in the group insurance plan; specifying
 4  conditions; and providing for an effective date.

 5 

 6  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

 7 

 8         Section 1.  W.S. 9-3-217 is created to read:

 9 

10         9-3-217.  Retiree membership in plan.

11 

12         (a)  A retiree is eligible for coverage under the
13  group insurance plan at premium rates established by the
14  board, provided:

15 

 

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 1              (i)  Application to continue coverage is made to
 2  the board within thirty-one (31) days after termination of
 3  the retiree's employment;

 4 

 5              (ii)  The retiree has had medical coverage in
 6  effect under the group insurance plan for at least one (1)
 7  year immediately prior to the date of retirement and is
 8  eligible to receive a retirement benefit under the Wyoming
 9  retirement system; and either:

10 

11                   (A)  Has attained the age of fifty (50) on
12  the date of retirement and has at least four (4) years of
13  service credit under the Wyoming retirement system as an
14  employee of one (1) of the employing entities participating
15  in the plan; or

16 

17                   (B)  Has at least twenty (20) years of
18  service credit under the Wyoming retirement system as an
19  employee of one (1) of the employing entities participating
20  in the plan.

21 

22         (b)  Within the application period provided under
23  paragraph (a)(i) of this section, the retiree may elect to
24  continue coverage of his eligible dependents under the

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 1  group insurance plan provided each such dependent was
 2  covered under the group insurance plan for at least one (1)
 3  year immediately prior to the retiree's date of retirement.
 4  An election to add dependents may not be made after the
 5  initial application period unless the increase in the
 6  number of dependents results from a subsequent marriage,
 7  birth or adoption in which case the dependents may be
 8  enrolled at a later date upon conditions the board may
 9  impose.

10 

11         (c)  The board shall establish procedures by which the
12  eligible retiree shall make application within the thirty-
13  one (31) day period provided under paragraph (a)(i) of this
14  section.

15 

16         Section 2.  W.S. 9-3-203(a)(xi) and  by creating a new
17  paragraph (xiii), 9-3-207 by creating a new subsection (d)
18  and 9-3-211 are amended to read:

19 

20         9-3-203.  Definitions.

21 

22         (a)  As used in this act:

23 

 

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 1              (xi)  "This act" means W.S. 9-3-202 through
 2  9-3-213 9-3-217;

 3 

 4              (xiii)  "Retiree" means an individual who has
 5  terminated his working career as an employee of employing
 6  entity participating in the group insurance plan and who is
 7  eligible to receive a retirement benefit under the Wyoming
 8  retirement system.

 9 

10         9-3-207.  Eligibility for membership in plan; state
11  employees; 31 day period to elect enrollment; new
12  employees; later enrollment.

13 

14         (d)  A retiree is eligible for coverage under the
15  group insurance plan subject to the provisions of W.S.
16  9-3-217.

17 

18         9-3-211.  Deductions from salaries of monthly
19  contributions by employees and officials; establishment of
20  procedure.

21 

22         (a)  The amount of monthly contribution to be made by
23  eligible employees and officials enrolled in the group
24  insurance plan for themselves and their dependents shall be

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 1  deducted from the monthly salaries of the employees and
 2  officials by the various agencies and remitted to the
 3  board. The procedure for deductions and remittances shall
 4  be established by the board. If a flexible benefits plan is
 5  chosen, the employees' and officials' contribution shall be
 6  applied to the chosen benefits in an amount determined by
 7  the employee or official.

 8 

 9         (b)  The board shall establish procedures for
10  deducting and remitting monthly contributions by eligible
11  retirees enrolled in the group insurance plan which may
12  include deductions from the retiree's state retirement
13  benefits or from the retiree's checking or savings account.

14 

15         Section 3.  Nothing in this act shall affect the
16  eligibility of retirees currently participating in the
17  group health insurance plan.

18 

19         Section 4.  This act is effective July 1, 2001.

20 

21                         (END)

 

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