State retiree health insurance.

WORKING DRAFT
2007
STATE OF
WYOMING
07LSO-0261

HOUSE BILL
NO.
HB0090

State retiree health insurance.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) McOmie, Bagby, Gilmore, Illoway, Slater and Warren and Senator(s) Decaria and Sessions

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan; providing a state contribution for retirees for plan benefits; specifying early retiree premium rates; 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) and 9
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3
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218 by creating a new subsection (d) are amended to read:

9
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3
‑
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

a monthly amount as established and appropriated by the legislature for each year of state employment service up to a maximum of thirty (30) years of service. In establishing the monthly amount, the legislature may distinguish between classes of employees based upon years of state service and the cost to classes of retirees based upon plan benefits provided to the class.

(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 pursuant to 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.

9
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3
‑
218.

Retiree membership in plan.

(d)

Premium rates for health insurance plans under the program for retirees who are not Medicare eligible shall be the same as rates for nonretiree eligible employees.

Section 2.

(a)

For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2007 and ending June 30, 2008, there is appropriated from the general fund to the department of administration and information three million three hundred fifty-five thousand dollars ($3,355,000.00) for purposes of paying the state monthly contribution of:

(i)

Eleven dollars and fifty cents ($11.50) per year of state service up to a maximum of thirty (30) years on behalf of eligible retirees who are not Medicare eligible; and

(ii)

Five dollars and seventy-five cents ($5.75) per year of state service up to a maximum of thirty (30) years on behalf of eligible retirees who are Medicare eligible.

Section 3.
This act is effective July 1, 2007.

(END)

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HB0090