Sec. 31-51p. Membership in health care center as part of health benefits plan.
Sec. 31-51p. Membership in health care center as part of health benefits plan.
(a) All employers subject to the provisions of chapter 567 employing twenty-five or
more employees shall, at the request of a health care center, include in any health benefits
plan offered to their employees the option of membership in a health care center, provided such health care center serves an area in which at least twenty-five employees of
such employer reside.
(b) For those employees of an employer represented by a bargaining representative,
the offer of the health care center alternative shall be made in a manner which is consistent with the collective bargaining process.
(c) If there is more than one health care center which is engaged in the provision
of health services in the area in which at least twenty-five eligible employees of the
employer reside and which has requested inclusion in the health benefits plan offered
by the employer, the employer shall be required to offer the option of membership in
(1) at least one health care center which provides health services primarily through staff
physicians or medical groups or a combination thereof; and (2) at least one health care
center which arranges for the delivery of health services primarily through physicians
who provide services out of their own offices, provided that health care centers in the
area differ in their primary method of health service delivery.
(d) No employer shall be required to pay more for health benefits as a result of the
application of subsection (b) of section 38a-199, subsection (b) of section 38a-214 or
this section than would otherwise be required by any prevailing collective bargaining
agreement or other legally enforceable contract for the provision of health benefits between an employer and its employees.
(e) Each employer required to offer the option of membership in a health care center
pursuant to the provisions of this section and which provides payroll deductions as a
means of paying employees' contributions for health benefits shall, with the consent of
an employee who exercises such option, provide for the collection of employee premiums through payroll deductions provided such payroll deductions are made for employees who choose other health benefits options.
(P.A. 83-216, S. 3.)