2008 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 416<br /> – Admin Dept, duties, group insurance

HOUSE BILL NO. 416

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H0416.......................................by COMMERCE AND HUMAN RESOURCES
ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT - GROUP INSURANCE - Amends existing law to revise
the statutes governing state employee active and retired health care
service coverage; to provide that, effective July 1, 2008, active and
retiree coverage will be separately rated; and to provide that retiree
health care service will not be available to state personnel beginning
service or employment on or after July 1, 2008.

01/24    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
01/25    Rpt prt - to Com/HuRes

Bill Text




                                                                       
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-ninth Legislature                   Second Regular Session - 2008

                                                                       

                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 416

                         BY COMMERCE AND HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE

  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION  AND  GROUP  INSURANCE;  AMENDING
  3        SECTION  67-5761,  IDAHO CODE, TO REVISE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE DIRECTOR
  4        OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION REGARDING  GROUP  INSURANCE;  AMENDING
  5        SECTION  67-5765,  IDAHO  CODE,  TO  PROVIDE  CORRECT STATUTORY CITATIONS;
  6        AMENDING SECTION 67-5767, IDAHO  CODE,  TO  PROVIDE  CORRECT  TERMINOLOGY;
  7        AMENDING  SECTION  67-5768, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE CORRECT STATUTORY CITA-
  8        TIONS AND TO MAKE A TECHNICAL CORRECTION; AMENDING SECTION 67-5769,  IDAHO
  9        CODE,  TO  PROVIDE  THAT  THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION
 10        SHALL ALLOCATE THE APPORTIONED SHARE OF THE REASONABLE COSTS  OF  ADMINIS-
 11        TRATION  TO  EACH PARTICIPATING STATE UNIT IN THE SAME PROPORTION THAT THE
 12        AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES BEARS TO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES EXCLUDING  TEM-
 13        PORARY OR PART-TIME EMPLOYEES AND TO MAKE A TECHNICAL CORRECTION; AMENDING
 14        SECTION 67-5770, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE CORRECT STATUTORY CITATIONS AND TO
 15        MAKE  TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS; AMENDING SECTION 67-5771, IDAHO CODE, TO PRO-
 16        VIDE FOR THE CREATION OF THE GROUP INSURANCE FUND, TO PROVIDE FOR  CORRECT
 17        STATUTORY  CITATIONS AND TO PROVIDE CORRECT TERMINOLOGY; AND AMENDING SEC-
 18        TION 67-5772, IDAHO CODE, TO DELETE REFERENCE TO RULES.

 19    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

 20        SECTION 1.  That Section 67-5761, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
 21    amended to read as follows:

 22        67-5761.  POWERS  AND  DUTIES  -- GROUP INSURANCE. (1) The director of the
 23    department of administration shall have the authority to:
 24        (a)  Establish an advisory committee to be comprised of  program  partici-
 25        pants.  The  advisory  committee may include employee representatives. The
 26        director shall may consult with the advisory committee in the  performance
 27        of those duties as enumerated in subsection (2) of this section.
 28        (b)  Fix  and  promulgate  rules  for determining Determine eligibility of
 29        requirements for personnel, including retired personnel, for participation
 30        in any group plans.
 31        (c)  Determine the nature and extent of needs for  group  life  insurance,
 32        group annuities, group disability insurance, and group health care service
 33        coverages  with respect to personnel, including elected or appointed offi-
 34        cers and employees, of all offices, departments, divisions,  boards,  com-
 35        missions,  institutions,  agencies and operations of the government of the
 36        state of Idaho, and retired personnel, the  premiums  or  prepayments  for
 37        which  are  payable  in  whole  or in part from funds of the state and for
 38        retired state personnel.  "Disability"  insurance  includes  all  personal
 39        accident,  health,  hospital, surgical, and medical coverages, and "health
 40        care service" includes all  services  rendered  for  maintenance  of  good
 41        health  and  diagnosis,  relief,  or  treatment of any injury, ailment, or
 42        bodily condition.
 43        (d)  Determine the types, terms, conditions, and amounts of  group  insur-

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  1        ance,  group annuities, or group coverage by health care service organiza-
  2        tions, as the case may be, required by such needs.
  3        (e)  Negotiate and contract for, and have placed or  continued  in  effect
  4        all  such  insurance  and  coverages  as may reasonably be obtainable from
  5        insurers and health care service organizations, as the case may  be,  duly
  6        authorized to transact such business in this state. The director may nego-
  7        tiate deductibles to any group plan or coverage. Alternatively, the direc-
  8        tor  may  self-insure  any insurance or coverage and may contract with any
  9        insurance company or third party administrator duly authorized to transact
 10        business in this state or administer such plan.
 11        (f)  Prepare or otherwise obtain  and  make  available  to  all  personnel
 12        affected thereby, printed information concerning all such group plans cur-
 13        rently  in  effect, together with the rules governing eligibility require-
 14        ments, payment of premium or prepayment where  applicable,  claims  proce-
 15        dures,  and  other matters designed to facilitate utilization and adminis-
 16        tration of such plans.
 17        (g)  Administer all such group plans on behalf of the  insured,  including
 18        but not limited to:
 19             (i)   Enrollment  and reporting to the insurer or health care service
 20             organization of individuals eligible for coverage and  covered  under
 21             particular  policies or contracts, and termination of such enrollment
 22             upon termination of eligibility;
 23             (ii)  Collection or payment of premiums or prepayments for such  cov-
 24             erage, policies and contracts and accounting for the same;
 25             (iii) Establishment  of  reasonable  procedures  for  handling claims
 26             arising under such coverage, policies and  contracts,  and  rendering
 27             assistance  to  claimants, as may be required in the presentation and
 28             consideration of claims;
 29             (iv)  Effectuation of changes in such  coverage,  policies  and  con-
 30             tracts and renewal or termination thereof;
 31             (v)   Making and settlement of claims.
 32        (2)  Nothing  herein shall be deemed to prohibit any such coverage, policy
 33    or contract providing coverage also for dependents of  personnel  under  terms
 34    and conditions formulated and negotiated by the director.
 35        (3)  The director shall formulate and negotiate a plan of health care ser-
 36    vice  coverage,  except  as  provided in subsection (4) of this section, which
 37    includes eligible retired personnel and dependents. eligible for a  retirement
 38    benefit  through  the  Idaho  public  employee retirement system which benefit
 39    equals or exceeds the retiree medical insurance premium  in  effect  for  that
 40    retiree at the date of retirement. Coverage for retired personnel shall paral-
 41    lel  the  coverage provided to active state employees to the extent necessary,
 42    and shall include a medicare credit for retirees who are covered by  medicare.
 43    Any
 44        (a)  For that period up to and including June 30, 2008, active and retiree
 45        coverage  shall be rated jointly and any increased cost on the health care
 46        plan for active employees as a result of such coverage costs joint  rating
 47        shall  be  paid  for  by  the state and by active state employees in equal
 48        shares.
 49        (b)  For that period beginning on July 1, 2008, retiree coverage shall  be
 50        separately  rated  and  any  increase in the cost of such retiree coverage
 51        beginning July 1, 2008, as a result of such separate rating shall be  paid
 52        for  by  retirees,  provided however, that the state shall pay one hundred
 53        fifty-five dollars ($155) per eligible retiree per month toward such  cov-
 54        erage.
 55    Retired  personnel  shall be responsible for paying their own premiums for any

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  1    plan of health care service insurance coverage provided pursuant to this  sec-
  2    tion. Nothing contained herein and nNo coverage, policy or contract which pro-
  3    vides  coverage or benefits for personnel, dependents of personnel, or retired
  4    personnel shall create any vested right or benefit for the  retired  personnel
  5    in retiree group insurance coverages.
  6        (4)  Personnel,  including elected or appointed officers and employees, of
  7    all offices, departments, divisions, boards, commissions, agencies and  opera-
  8    tions  of the government of the state of Idaho, starting service or employment
  9    on or after July 1, 2008, shall not be provided or be eligible for any retiree
 10    health care service coverage.

 11        SECTION 2.  That Section 67-5765, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
 12    amended to read as follows:

 13        67-5765.  GOVERNMENT  RETIREMENT PROGRAM OR GROUP INSURANCE PLANS IN EXIS-
 14    TENCE UNAFFECTED. The provisions of this act sections 67-5760 through 67-5772,
 15    Idaho Code, shall not affect the validity of any retirement  program  or  con-
 16    tract  of  group  insurance or arrangement for prepayment plan coverage previ-
 17    ously entered into by any governmental body, or by any school,  college,  uni-
 18    versity, hospital or other institutions operated by any of the municipalities,
 19    counties,  or other political subdivisions of the state and supported in whole
 20    or part by public funds.

 21        SECTION 3.  That Section 67-5767, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
 22    amended to read as follows:

 23        67-5767.  DIRECTOR  MAY  PROVIDE  SERVICE  TO  SCHOOL  DISTRICTS AND OTHER
 24    POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS. (1) Under terms and procedures mutually agreed upon by
 25    contract, the director of the department of administration may render the same
 26    services with respect to personnel of any school district or  other  political
 27    subdivision  of  the  state  of  Idaho. The cost of any group insurance, group
 28    annuity or health care service coverage  so  provided  and  of  administration
 29    thereof shall be borne by the school district or political subdivision.
 30        (2)  Governmental entity for the purpose of this section means any organi-
 31    zation  composed  of units of government of Idaho or organizations funded only
 32    by government or government employee contributions or organizations  who  dis-
 33    charge governmental responsibilities that would otherwise be performed by gov-
 34    ernment.   All government entities are deemed to be political subdivisions for
 35    the purpose of this act section.

 36        SECTION 4.  That Section 67-5768, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
 37    amended to read as follows:

 38        67-5768.  NOMINAL  POLICYHOLDER -- NO OBLIGATION TO STATE. (1) In policies
 39    and contracts procured by the director of  the  department  of  administration
 40    under  this  act  sections  67-5760 through 67-5772, Idaho Code,  and covering
 41    personnel of any state office, department, division, board, commission, insti-
 42    tution, agency and operation, the director of the department of administration
 43    shall be designated as the nominal policyholder or contract holder.
 44        (2)  No policy or contract shall create, or be deemed to  constitute,  any
 45    financial  obligation on the part of the state of Idaho beyond the obligation,
 46    to contribute for or upon current premiums or prepayments thereof.
 47        (3)  Except  as  hereinafter  provided,  information  obtained  from   any
 48    employee, dependent or retiree insured under this act sections 67-5760 through
 49    67-5772,  Idaho  Code,  shall be subject to disclosure according to chapter 3,

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  1    title 9, Idaho Code; provided however, that if the affected employee,  depend-
  2    ent  or retiree waives in writing the right to hold such information confiden-
  3    tial, said information may be disclosed.

  4        SECTION 5.  That Section 67-5769, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
  5    amended to read as follows:

  6        67-5769.  INTER-DEPARTMENTAL  TRANSACTIONS  -- ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRIBUTION
  7    -- AMOUNTS -- LIMITS -- REFUNDS -- APPROPRIATION.  (1)  The  director  of  the
  8    department  of  administration shall charge each office, department, division,
  9    board, commission, institution, agency and operation, personnel  of  which  is
 10    currently covered under one (1) or more group plans administered by the direc-
 11    tor,  and receive payment in advance for its properly apportioned share of the
 12    cost thereof. To the amount otherwise so found due for payment of premiums and
 13    prepayments for coverages, the director shall add a separately stated adminis-
 14    trative contribution of such percentage, rate, or proportionate amount as  may
 15    reasonably  be  required  to  pay the costs of maintaining the office of group
 16    insurance, including personnel costs, operating expenditures, and expenditures
 17    for capital outlay items. The director shall allocate the apportioned share of
 18    the reasonable costs of administering this act administration to each partici-
 19    pating state unit in the same proportion that the amount of employees  of  the
 20    unit,  excluding  temporary or part time, bears to the total number of employ-
 21    ees, excluding temporary or part time, of all combined units covered. by  this
 22    act.
 23        (2)  As  to  a particular office, department, division, board, commission,
 24    institution, agency or operation, such charges and payments shall  not  exceed
 25    the sum of (a) appropriated funds currently available for the purpose, and (b)
 26    amounts currently deducted from the salaries and other compensation of covered
 27    personnel  specifically  for the insurance or coverage. On or before the first
 28    day of August of each year, the director shall furnish each department with an
 29    estimate of the cost of insurance or coverage for the upcoming fiscal year.
 30        (3)  Refunds on premiums or prepayments, profit sharing,  experience  sav-
 31    ings  and  refunds  and  other  contract  returns  received by the director on
 32    account of group policies and group contracts shall be retained by the  direc-
 33    tor and used for application upon future premiums and prepayments as equitably
 34    apportioned by the director.
 35        (4)  Moneys received by the director under this section shall be deposited
 36    to the credit of the group insurance account in the agency asset fund, and are
 37    hereby  continually  appropriated for the uses for which charged and received,
 38    or as stated in subsection (3) of this section. Pending such use, such surplus
 39    moneys shall be invested by the state treasurer in the same manner as provided
 40    for under section 67-1210, Idaho Code, with respect to other  idle  moneys  in
 41    the  state  treasury. All interest or other yield on such investments shall be
 42    credited to the respective group insurance account.

 43        SECTION 6.  That Section 67-5770, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
 44    amended to read as follows:

 45        67-5770.  RETIREMENT  SYSTEM  NOT  AFFECTED.  Nothing in this act sections
 46    67-5760 through 67-5772, Idaho Code,  shall apply  to  or  affect  the  public
 47    employee retirement system of Idaho as established under chapter 13, title 59,
 48    Idaho  Code,  the policemen's policeman's retirement fund as established under
 49    chapter 15, title 50, Idaho Code, the firemen's firefighters' retirement  fund
 50    as  established under chapter 14, title 72, Idaho Code, the judges' retirement
 51    fund as established under chapter 20, title 1, Idaho Code, or  the  retirement

                                       5

  1    system  of the department of employment as established under chapter 13, title
  2    72, Idaho Code, as heretofore or hereafter amended or supplemented.
  3        Provided, however, for the purpose of  standardizing  retirement  benefits
  4    for  all county employees, any county not participating in the public employee
  5    retirement system of Idaho on July 1, 1977, shall apply for membership in said
  6    system no later than July 1, 1978, in accordance with the provisions  of  sec-
  7    tion  59-130921,  Idaho Code. Any existing retirement program, shall be termi-
  8    nated prior to the date of entry into the public employee retirement system of
  9    Idaho.

 10        SECTION 7.  That Section 67-5771, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
 11    amended to read as follows:

 12        67-5771.  GROUP  INSURANCE  ACCOUNT FUND CREATED -- ADMINISTRATION -- PER-
 13    PETUAL APPROPRIATION. There is hereby established in the agency asset fund  in
 14    the  state  treasury,  a  special account, the "Group Insurance Account Fund,"
 15    which shall be administered exclusively for the purposes of this act  sections
 16    67-5760  through  67-5772,  Idaho Code. This account fund shall consist of all
 17    contributions collected pursuant to this act sections 67-5760 through 67-5772,
 18    Idaho Code, and all interest earned upon any moneys in the account fund.

 19        SECTION 8.  That Section 67-5772, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
 20    amended to read as follows:

 21        67-5772.  REMITTANCE  OF CONTRIBUTIONS -- COLLECTION OF DELINQUENCIES. (1)
 22    Between the first and twentieth day of each month, each  employer,  or,  where
 23    the  employer's  payroll is paid separately by departments, each department of
 24    each employer, shall remit to the director of the department of administration
 25    all contributions required of it and its employees on the  basis  of  salaries
 26    paid  by  it during the previous month. These remittances shall be accompanied
 27    by such reports as required by rules of the  director  of  the  department  of
 28    administration.
 29        (2)  If  any employer shall fail or refuse to remit any such contributions
 30    within thirty (30) days after the date due, the director of the department  of
 31    administration  may certify to the state treasurer the fact of such failure or
 32    refusal and the  amount  of  the  delinquent  contribution  or  contributions,
 33    together  with a request that such amount be set over from funds of the delin-
 34    quent employer to the credit of the group insurance fund. A copy of such  cer-
 35    tification and request shall be furnished the delinquent employer.
 36        (3)  Within  ten  (10)  days after receipt of such request, the state con-
 37    troller shall draw his warrant for payment of such amount out of moneys in the
 38    state treasury allocated to the use of such employer during the current fiscal
 39    year. If such moneys are not so available, the director of the  department  of
 40    administration shall take any legal steps necessary to collect such amount.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                      STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                           RS 17388C2

This legislation will make changes to the statutes governing state 
employee (active and retired) health care service coverage.

- The legislation will clarify that the department of administration 
determines eligibility requirements for active and retired personnel. 
It will delete reference to rules on eligibility.

- This legislation will delete the requirement for a Medicare credit 
and will delete the requirement that retiree coverage shall parallel 
active coverage.

- The legislation will provide that until June 30, 2008, active and 
retiree coverage shall be jointly rated and the increased cost of 
coverage to the active employees as a result of joint rating shall be 
paid in equal shares (subsidy) by the state and by active employees.

- This legislation will provide that effective July 1, 2008, active 
and retiree coverage will be separately rated and any increase in the 
cost of retiree coverage as a result of separate rating shall be paid 
by the retiree but that the state will pay $155.00 per eligible 
retiree per month toward such coverage.

- This legislation will provide that retiree health care service 
coverage will no longer be available for state personnel beginning 
service or employment on or after July 1, 2008.

- Upon passage of this legislation, the department of administration 
intends to change eligibility requirements as follows:

- A retiree must work for the state until eligible for early 
retirement (prior to age 65) and must be retiring directly from state 
service to be eligible for retiree health care service coverage.

- Retiree health care service coverage will not be available to any 
retiree who is or becomes Medicare eligible.

- The legislation will also provide correct code citations and make 
other technical corrections.




                           FISCAL NOTE

Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement No. 45 requires 
the State to report, beginning in 2008, the accrued and future 
liability for non-pension post-employment benefits.  The estimated 
potential GASB liability would be reduced from $442 million to $81.6 
million as a result of the following:

1.  Setting the state contribution (subsidy) toward retiree coverage 
    at $155.00 per eligible retiree per month.

2.  Eliminating state retiree coverage for Medicare eligible 
    retirees.

3.  Requiring that personnel must work for the state until eligible 
    for early retirement and must retire directly from state service 
    to be eligible for retiree health care service coverage.

Eliminating the plan for state personnel beginning service on or after 
July 1, 2008 will slow the growth of the estimated GASB 45 liability 
and eventually begin reducing that liability.






CONTACT
Name:	Mike Gwartney
Agency:	Administration, Dept. of
Phone:	332-1800


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE	                      H 416