2014 Arizona Revised Statutes
Title 38 - Public Officers and Employees
§ 38-644 Eligibility

38-644. Eligibility

A. Except as provided in subsections B, C and D of this section, to qualify for covered benefits under the program, a person must satisfy all of the following criteria:

1. Be an active or retired member of the public safety personnel retirement system or the corrections officer retirement plan.

2. Be one of the following:

(a) A firefighter who is or was regularly assigned to hazardous duty of the type normally expected of a firefighter.

(b) A peace officer.

(c) A corrections officer employed by the state department of corrections or the state department of juvenile corrections or a detention officer employed by a county, city or town if the department, county, city or town has voluntarily established a program and the corrections officer or detention officer voluntarily enrolled in the program and made the payments pursuant to section 38-642, subsection D.

3. Have cancer that was first diagnosed after the person's date of membership in the public safety personnel retirement system or corrections officer retirement plan.

B. Persons who terminate employment with a participating employer are not eligible for benefits under the program unless the person has made a valid claim for payment of expenses under the program before termination of employment.

C. On retirement, persons who were either receiving benefits under the program before retirement or who are diagnosed with cancer subsequent to retirement remain eligible for coverage under the program for five months for each year of credited service accumulated toward retirement under the public safety personnel retirement system or corrections officer retirement plan.

D. A person whose eligibility to receive benefits under subsection C of this section is expiring may continue to remain eligible for coverage under the program if the person makes an election with the board and pays to the board the cost of the premium as determined by the board at the time determined by the board.

E. A person is not eligible for benefits under the program if there is any evidence that the cancer that forms the basis for a benefit claim under the program existed before the person's membership in the public safety personnel retirement system or corrections officer retirement plan.