71st OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2001 Regular Session
NOTE: Matter within { + braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within { - braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
{ + braces and plus signs + } .
LC 457
A-Engrossed
House Bill 2084
Ordered by the House March 26
Including House Amendments dated March 26
Ordered printed by the Speaker pursuant to House Rule 12.00A (5).
Presession filed (at the request of Representative Vic
Backlund)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure.
Prohibits local government and health insurer from placing
retired employees in different groups from officers and employees
for purposes of providing health care insurance coverage.
Prohibits establishing higher premiums for retired employees than
for officers and employees.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to health insurance for retired employees of local
government; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 243.303.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. ORS 243.303 is amended to read:
243.303. (1) As used in this section:
(a) 'Health care' means medical, surgical, hospital or any
other remedial care recognized by state law and related services
and supplies and includes comparable benefits for persons who
rely on spiritual means of healing.
(b) 'Local government' means any city, county, school district
or other special district in this state.
(c) 'Retired employee' means a former officer or employee of a
local government who is retired for service or disability, and
who received or is receiving retirement benefits, under the
Public Employees Retirement System or any other retirement system
or plan applicable to officers and employees of the local
government.
(2) The governing body of any local government that contracts
for or otherwise makes available health care insurance coverage
for officers and employees of the local government shall, insofar
as and to the extent possible, make that coverage available for
any retired employee of the local government who elects within 60
days after the effective date of retirement to participate in
that coverage and, at the option of the retired employee, for the
spouse of the retired employee and any unmarried children under
18 years of age. The health care insurance coverage shall be made
available for a retired employee until the retired employee
becomes eligible for federal Medicare coverage, for the spouse of
a retired employee until the spouse becomes eligible for federal
Medicare coverage and for a child until the child arrives at
majority, and may, but need not, be made available thereafter.
The governing body may prescribe reasonable terms and conditions
of eligibility and coverage, not inconsistent with this section,
for making the health care insurance coverage available. The
local government may pay none of the cost of making that coverage
available or may agree, by collective bargaining agreement or
otherwise, to pay part or all of that cost.
{ + (3)(a) A local government and a health care insurer may
not create a group for health care insurance coverage of retired
employees and their dependents that is separate from a group for
health care insurance coverage of officers and employees of the
local government.
(b) A health care insurer may not establish a higher premium
for retired employees and their dependents than the premium
established for officers and employees of the local government.
The retired employees shall be charged a premium according to an
appropriate category, including individual alone, individual and
spouse, individual and dependents or other similar category. + }
SECTION 2. { + The amendments to ORS 243.303 by section 1 of
this 2001 Act apply to health care coverage made available to
retirees on or after the effective date of this 2001 Act. + }
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