56-7-3027 - Enrollment in program Establishment of criteria and guidelines. [Effective until midnight June 30, 2012. See the Compiler's Notes.]
56-7-3027. Enrollment in program Establishment of criteria and guidelines. [Effective until midnight June 30, 2012. See the Compiler's Notes.]
(a) For the purposes of this section, county government means a county government enumerated in § 5-1-101 and established under title 5 or as a metropolitan government under title 7.
(b) The department shall establish criteria and guidelines for county governments to enroll in the program. The criteria shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) Only county governments that have not offered health benefits coverage to their employees for at least the previous twelve (12) months shall be eligible to participate in the program, except that coverage under a group insurance plan offered by counties to eligible local education employees defined in § 8-27-302(e)(2) will not preclude the county government's participation;
(2) All of a participating county government's employees eligible for the program operated pursuant to this part shall be limited to citizens of the United States, except that individuals satisfying the federally defined exceptions contained in 8 U.S.C. § 1622(b) shall also be eligible to apply;
(3) A minimum employee participation of fifty percent (50%) of county government employees eligible to participate in the program shall be required; and
(4) A participating county government shall contribute a minimum of sixty-six percent (66%) toward the premiums of its eligible, participating employees on a uniform basis.
(c) The department shall establish criteria and guidelines for employees of participating county governments to enroll in the program. The criteria may include:
(1) Residency requirements;
(2) Citizenship requirements;
(3) Insurance status as established by the department pursuant to § 56-7-3005(c);
(4) Employment status, including a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week on average; and
(5) Any other eligibility criteria deemed appropriate by the department and not in conflict with this part.
(d) The department shall establish an application process for county governments seeking to participate in the program and shall reevaluate the eligibility of the county government on a periodic basis.
(e) The department may limit the number of participating county governments who are authorized to participate in the program.
(f) The department may determine whether participating county governments must offer their employees a choice among all of the plans available through the program, or may specify which plan or plans are offered to their employees.
(g) Participating county governments will not receive any state contributions as authorized in § 56-7-3013(a)(1) toward the premium of their participating employees.
(h) The department may establish eligibility criteria deemed appropriate by the department and not in conflict with this part. (i) This section shall be repealed midnight, June 30, 2012.
(i) This section shall be repealed midnight, June 30, 2012.
[Acts 2008, ch. 1093, §§ 3, 4.]