72nd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2003 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 1036
 
                           A-Engrossed
 
                         House Bill 2130
                  Ordered by the House March 6
            Including House Amendments dated March 6
 
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.
 
  Eliminates requirement that retired local government employees
be charged health insurance premium according to certain
categories.
  Declares emergency, effective on passage.
 
                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to health insurance for retirees of local government;
  creating new provisions; amending ORS 243.303; and declaring an
  emergency.
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  { + solely for the purpose of rating or of
establishing a premium + } for health care insurance coverage of
retired employees and their dependents that is separate from
 { - a - }   { + the + } group for health care insurance coverage
of officers and employees of the local government { +  and their
dependents + }.
  (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 { +  and their dependents + }.   { - 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 2003 Act apply to health care insurance coverage made
available to retirees on or after the effective date of this 2003
Act. + }
  SECTION 3.  { + This 2003 Act being necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency
is declared to exist, and this 2003 Act takes effect on its
passage. + }
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