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20LSO-0392
2020
STATE OF WYOMING
20LSO-0392
Numbered
2.0
SENATE FILE NO. SF0129
State group health insurance plan.
Sponsored by: Senate Appropriations Committee
A BILL
for
AN ACT relating to the State Employees' and Officials' Group Insurance Act; amending specifications for the health insurance plan; limiting the state's contribution for group insurance plan coverage as specified; providing for appropriations; and providing for effective dates.
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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206(a) and by creating a new subsection (f) and 9
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3
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210(a) and (b) are amended to read:
9
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3
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206.
Specifications for insurance plan; submission of bids; change of carriers; notice of rate
changes or intent of carrier not to renew; premium tax exemption.
(a)
The specifications drawn by the department for the health insurance plan shall include hospital and medical benefits, and comparable benefits for employees who rely solely on spiritual means for healing. The specification drawn by the department for the life insurance plan and any other group insurance plan shall include benefits as determined by the department
, subject to subsection (f) of this section
. Bids shall be submitted to the department within time limits established by the department and, in addition to the carrier's cost proposal, shall include an explanation of the method of claims administration proposed by the carrier and the cost thereof, the amount of total premiums to be retained by the carrier, the purpose for which these retained funds would be allocated, and other information requested by the department.
(f)
The health insurance plan shall be subject to the following:
(i)
The plan shall include a high deductible health plan for which the sum of the annual deductible and the other annual out-of-pocket expenses required to be paid under the plan, other than for premiums for covered benefits, is equal to the maximum amount allowed for a high deductible health plan under the applicable provisions of section 223 of the Internal Revenue Code;
(ii)
For the period beginning January 1, 2021 and ending December 31, 2021, the lowest annual deductible offered under the health insurance plan shall not be less than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00);
(iii)
For the period beginning January 1, 2022 and ending December 31, 2022, the lowest annual deductible offered under the health insurance plan shall not be less than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00);
(iv)
For the period beginning January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023 and thereafter, the lowest annual deductible offered under the health insurance plan shall
not be less than one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500.00).
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; participating employers contributions.
(a)
Except for voluntary participating employers,
and unless otherwise provided in legislation making appropriations for state contributions for employee and official participation,
the state shall contribute monthly
not more than
the
amount
maximum amounts
established
by this subsection
and
as
appropriated by the legislature for each employee and official enrolled in the plan in accordance with subsections (b) and (c) of this section.
The state's contribution for each eligible and enrolled employee or official electing single coverage, employee plus dependent spouse coverage, employee plus dependent children coverage or family coverage under the health insurance plan shall be subject to the following:
(i)
For the period beginning December 1, 2020 and ending November 30, 2021, the state's contribution shall not exceed an amount equal to eighty
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two percent (82%) of the highest premium for coverage of the same family status designation as that elected by each eligible and enrolled employee or official;
(ii)
For the period beginning December 1, 2021 and ending November 30, 2022, the state's contribution shall not exceed an amount equal to eighty
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one percent (81%) of the highest premium for coverage of the same family status designation as that elected by each eligible and enrolled employee or official;
(iii)
For the period beginning December 1, 2022 and ending November 30, 2023, the state's contribution shall not exceed an amount equal to eighty percent (80%) of the highest premium for coverage of the same family status designation as that elected by each eligible and enrolled employee or official.
(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
in accordance with subsection (a) of this section
and
as
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. Amounts appropriated by the legislature from the general fund for University of Wyoming and community college employer contributions under this section shall include amounts necessary to fully fund the employer's contribution for those eligible and enrolled employees whose compensation is partially or fully funded from nonfederal sources, but the University of Wyoming shall exclude amounts necessary to fully fund the employer's contribution for those eligible and enrolled employees whose compensation is partially or fully funded from contracts, grants and auxiliary services. If federal funds are not available, the amounts necessary to fully fund the employer's contribution for those eligible and enrolled employees shall be included in the
general fund appropriation.
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.
Section 2.
(a)
There is appropriated twenty-one million three hundred thirty thousand dollars ($21,330,000.00) from the legislative stabilization reserve account to the state auditor to be deposited into a separate account solely for purposes of paying the state's contribution for the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan for executive, judicial and legislative personnel whose employer paid benefits are funded with general funds. Expenditure of funds appropriated under this subsection shall only be made if:
(i)
The appropriations of general funds for personal services (100 series) for the period beginning July 1, 2020 and ending June 30, 2022 in 2020 Senate File 0001 or any other legislation enacted into law are insufficient to pay the state's contribution for the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan for executive, judicial and legislative personnel whose employer paid benefits are funded with general funds; and
(ii)
All funds available under 2020 Senate File 0001, Section 303(g), if enacted into law, have been expended, loaned, obligated or committed.
(b)
For state executive and judicial branch employees whose compensation is paid from nongeneral fund sources, to the extent funds are available, there is appropriated from those accounts and funds amounts necessary to pay any increase in employer paid premium rates made during the period beginning July 1, 2020 and ending June 30, 2022 for the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan administered under W.S. 9
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3
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202 through 9
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218 for state executive and judicial branch employees.
(c)
Expenditure of funds appropriated under this section shall only be made upon a determination by the governor that the requirements of this act for the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan have been met.
(d)
As part of the next solicitation for proposals for the health insurance plan within the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan, the department of administration and information shall include consideration of expanding access to preferred provider networks for private Wyoming employers.
(e)
For purposes of this section "executive, judicial and legislative personnel" is inclusive of University of Wyoming and community college employees.
(f)
The appropriations under this section shall be for the period beginning with the effective date of this act and ending June 30, 2022. The appropriations under this section shall not be transferred or expended for any
other purpose and any unexpended, unobligated funds remaining from these appropriations shall revert as provided by law on June 30, 2022.
Section 3.
(a)
To the extent this act conflicts with 2020 Senate File 0001, as enacted into law, this act shall be given precedence and shall prevail over any conflicting provision.
(b)
Upon the effective date of this section, 2020 Senate File 0001, Sections 304(a) shall not be effective.
(c)
To the extent 2020 Senate File 0001, Section 327, as enacted into law, appropriates funds, those appropriations shall be reduced dollar for dollar by the appropriation contained in section 2 of this act.
Section 4.
(a)
Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this act is effective July 1, 2020.
(b)
Sections 3 and 4 of this act are effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.
(END)
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SF0129