2005 Arizona Revised Statutes - Revised Statutes §38-817  Group health and accident coverage for retired members; payment; definition

A. The fund manager shall pay from the assets of the fund part of the single coverage premium of any group health and accident insurance for each retired member or survivor of the elected officials' retirement plan who receives a pension if the retired member had eight or more years of credited service under the plan. In order to qualify for payment pursuant to this subsection, the retired member or survivor shall elect single coverage and must have elected to participate in the coverage provided in section 38-651.01 or 38-782 or any other health and accident insurance coverage provided or administered by a participating employer of the elected officials' retirement plan. The fund manager shall pay up to:

1. One hundred fifty dollars per month for each retired member or survivor of the plan who is not eligible for medicare.

2. One hundred dollars per month for each retired member or survivor of the plan who is eligible for medicare.

B. The fund manager shall pay from the assets of the fund part of the family coverage premium of any group health and accident insurance each month for a benefit recipient who elects family coverage and who otherwise qualifies for payment pursuant to subsection A of this section. The fund manager shall pay up to:

1. Two hundred sixty dollars per month if the retired member or survivor of the plan and one or more dependents are not eligible for medicare.

2. One hundred seventy dollars per month if the retired member or survivor of the plan and one or more dependents are eligible for medicare.

3. Two hundred fifteen dollars per month if either:

(a) The retired member or survivor of the plan is not eligible for medicare and one or more dependents are eligible for medicare.

(b) The retired member or survivor of the plan is eligible for medicare and one or more dependents are not eligible for medicare.

C. Each retired member or survivor of the plan with less than eight years of credited service and a dependent of such a retired member or survivor who participates in the coverage provided by section 38-651.01 or 38-782 or who participates in any other health and accident insurance coverage provided or administered by a participating employer of the plan is entitled to receive a proportion of the full benefit prescribed by subsection A, B, E, F, G or H of this section according to the following schedule:

1. 7.0 to 7.9 years of credited service, ninety per cent.

2. 6.0 to 6.9 years of credited service, seventy-five per cent.

3. 5.0 to 5.9 years of credited service, sixty per cent.

4. Those with less than five years of credited service do not qualify for the benefit.

D. The fund manager shall not pay more than the amount prescribed in this section for a benefit recipient as a member or survivor of the plan.

E. In addition to the payments provided by subsection A of this section, through June 30, 2005, the fund manager shall pay an insurance premium benefit for medical coverage, not including limited benefit coverage as defined in section 20-1137, for each retired member or survivor of the plan who is entitled to a premium benefit payment pursuant to subsection A of this section and who lives in a nonservice area as follows:

1. Up to three hundred dollars per month for a retired member or survivor of the plan who is not eligible for medicare and who has eight or more years of credited service. To qualify for this additional benefit, a retired member or survivor shall pay out-of-pocket medical insurance premiums of at least one hundred twenty-five dollars per month.

2. Up to one hundred seventy dollars per month for a retired member or survivor of the plan who is eligible for medicare and who has eight or more years of credited service. To qualify for this additional benefit, a retired member or survivor shall pay out-of-pocket medical insurance premiums of at least one hundred dollars per month.

F. In addition to the payments provided by subsection B of this section, through June 30, 2005, the fund manager shall pay an insurance premium benefit for medical coverage, not including limited benefit coverage as defined in section 20-1137, for a retired member or survivor of the plan who is entitled to a premium benefit payment pursuant to subsection B of this section, who is enrolled in a family medical plan and who lives in a nonservice area as follows:

1. Up to six hundred dollars per month if the retired member or survivor of the plan and one or more dependents are not eligible for medicare and the retired member or survivor of the plan has eight or more years of credited service. To qualify for this additional benefit, a retired member or survivor shall pay out-of-pocket medical insurance premiums of at least four hundred twenty-five dollars per month.

2. Up to three hundred fifty dollars per month if the retired member or survivor of the plan and one or more dependents are eligible for medicare and the retired member or survivor of the plan has eight or more years of credited service. To qualify for this additional benefit, a retired member or survivor shall pay out-of-pocket medical insurance premiums of at least two hundred dollars per month.

3. If the retired member or survivor of the plan has eight or more years of credited service, up to four hundred seventy dollars per month if either:

(a) The retired member or survivor of the plan is not eligible for medicare and one or more dependents are eligible for medicare.

(b) The retired member or survivor of the plan is eligible for medicare and one or more dependents are not eligible for medicare.

To qualify for this additional benefit, a retired member or survivor shall pay out-of-pocket medical insurance premiums of at least four hundred dollars per month.

G. In addition to the payments provided by subsection A of this section, beginning July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2007, the fund manager shall pay an insurance premium benefit for medical coverage, not including limited benefit coverage as defined in section 20-1137, for each medicare eligible retired member or survivor of the plan who is entitled to a premium benefit payment pursuant to subsection A of this section and who lives in a nonservice area of up to one hundred seventy dollars per month for a retired member or survivor of the plan who is eligible for medicare and who has eight or more years of credited service. To qualify for this additional benefit, a retired member or survivor shall pay out-of-pocket medical insurance premiums of at least one hundred dollars per month.

H. In addition to the payments provided by subsection B of this section, beginning July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2007, the fund manager shall pay an insurance premium benefit for medical coverage, not including limited benefit coverage as defined in section 20-1137, for a medicare eligible retired member or survivor of the plan who is entitled to a premium benefit payment pursuant to subsection B of this section, who is enrolled in a family medical plan and who lives in a nonservice area as follows:

1. Up to three hundred fifty dollars per month if the retired member or survivor of the plan and one or more dependents are eligible for medicare and the retired member or survivor of the plan has eight or more years of credited service. To qualify for this additional benefit, a retired member or survivor shall pay out-of-pocket medical insurance premiums of at least two hundred dollars per month.

2. If the retired member or survivor of the plan has eight or more years of credited service, up to four hundred seventy dollars per month if the retired member or survivor of the plan is eligible for medicare and one or more dependents are not eligible for medicare. To qualify for this additional benefit, a retired member or survivor shall pay out-of-pocket medical insurance premiums of at least four hundred dollars per month.

I. A retired member or survivor of the plan who is enrolled in a managed care program in a nonservice area is not eligible for the payment prescribed in subsection E, F, G or H of this section if the member terminates coverage under the managed care program.

J. A retired member or survivor of the plan may elect to purchase individual health care coverage and receive a payment pursuant to this section through the retired member's employer if that employer assumes the administrative functions associated with the payment, including verification that the payment is used to pay for health insurance coverage if the payment is made to the retired member or survivor of the plan.

K. For the purposes of this section, "nonservice area" means an area in this state in which the Arizona state retirement system pursuant to section 38-782, the department of administration pursuant to section 38-651.01 or the member's or survivor's participating employer does not provide or administer a health care services organization program, excluding any preferred provider organization program or individual health indemnity policy, for which the retired member or survivor of the plan is eligible.