Retired state employees-insurance benefits.

WORKING DRAFT
2005
STATE OF WYOMING
05LSO-0083

HOUSE BILL
NO.
HB0089

Retired state employees-insurance benefits.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) McOmie, Esquibel, Gilmore, Illoway, Landon, Meuli, Petersen, Reese and Slater and Senator(s) Decaria, Sessions and Vasey

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan; providing a state contribution for retirees for limited plan benefits; providing an appropriation; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1.
W.S. 9
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3
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210(a) through (c) is amended to read:

9
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3
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210.

Amount of state's contribution; estimates submitted to state budget officer; specified employees participation in federal program.

(a)

The state shall contribute monthly the amount established and appropriated by the legislature for each employee and official enrolled in the plan in accordance with subsections (b) and (c) of this section.
For retirees, the state shall contribute for each retiree enrolled in the plan, the lesser of:

(i)

Two hundred dollars ($200.00); or

(ii)

The premium for the least expensive coverage providing health insurance only for the retiree under the plan.

(b)

Any state agency, department or institution, including the University of Wyoming and the community colleges in the state, shall pay monthly to the department the amount established and appropriated by the legislature for each eligible employee or official electing to become covered by any portion of the group insurance plan as the contribution of the state to that plan during the period the employee or official is enrolled in the plan. If the monthly premium for coverage of the employee or official is less than the amount established and appropriated by the legislature, the balance may be applied to the premium for coverage of dependents, or to the premium for any optional group insurance coverage made available by the department, if so elected.
The department shall receive all appropriations for retiree contributions under subsection (a) of this section and shall apply monthly the amount established under subsection (a) of this section for each eligible retiree electing to become covered by health insurance under the group insurance plan as the contribution of the retiree to that plan during the period the retiree is enrolled in the plan.

(c)

Each state agency, department or institution, including the University of Wyoming and the community colleges in the state shall estimate the amount required for its participation in the group insurance plan for the next biennium and shall submit the estimate to the state budget officer at the time the state budget officer makes the request.
The board shall estimate the amount required for retiree contributions under subsection (a) of this section and shall submit the estimate as provided by this subsection.

Section 2.
There is appropriated from the general fund to the department of administration and information nine million thirty-nine thousand dollars ($9,039,000.00) for purposes of paying the state contribution of two hundred dollars ($200.00) for each eligible retiree electing to become covered by health insurance under the
state employees' and officials' group insurance plan for the period beginning August 1, 2005 and ending December 31, 2006.

Section 3.
This act is effective July 1, 2005.

(END)

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HB0089