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H.B. 253 Enrolled

                 

RETIREMENT OFFICE AMENDMENTS

                 
2004 GENERAL SESSION

                 
STATE OF UTAH

                 
Sponsor: Ann W. Hardy

                 
                  LONG TITLE
                  General Description:
                      This bill modifies the Utah State Retirement and Insurance Benefit Act provisions,
                  including many technical or conforming amendments.
                  Highlighted Provisions:
                      This bill:
                      .    adds "Utah State Retirement Systems" as an alternative official name for the Utah
                  State Retirement Office;
                      .    provides that reemployment restrictions following retirement does not apply to
                  appointive officers;
                      .    amends the length of time a participating employer is required to maintain records
                  needed for retirement purposes to the earliest of three years after the date of
                  retirement or the date of death of the employee;
                      .    amends the criteria for being unable to locate surviving beneficiaries in order to pay
                  benefits to within 12 months of the date a reasonable attempt is made to locate the
                  beneficiaries;
                      .    allows a retiree in either the contributory or noncontributory system whose
                  retirement date is on or after July 1, 1995, to make an irrevocable cancellation of
                  lump-sum death benefits;
                      .    requires a member in the contributory system who is transferred or reemployed to
                  transfer to the noncontributory system if the new employer is a participating
                  employer in the noncontributory system;
                      .    provides that contribution rates for each participating employer in the public safety
                  contributory system and the public safety noncontributory systems may be different based on the


                  participating employers current funding status and actuarial experience;
                      .    provides that employers that maintain a regularly constituted fire department are
                  eligible to participate in the firefighters retirement system;
                      .    provides that employees who have medical employee benefit plan coverage at the time
                  of their retirement are eligible for future Medicare supplement coverage; and
                      .    makes technical corrections.
                  Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
                      None
                  Other Special Clauses:
                      This bill takes effect on July 1, 2004.
                  Utah Code Sections Affected:
                  AMENDS:
                      49-11-201, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 250, Laws of Utah 2002
                      49-11-504, as last amended by Chapter 240, Laws of Utah 2003
                      49-11-602, as last amended by Chapter 240, Laws of Utah 2003
                      49-11-609, as last amended by Chapter 240, Laws of Utah 2003
                      49-11-612, as last amended by Chapter 240, Laws of Utah 2003
                      49-12-404, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 250, Laws of Utah 2002
                      49-13-205, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 250, Laws of Utah 2002
                      49-13-404, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 250, Laws of Utah 2002
                      49-14-301, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 250, Laws of Utah 2002
                      49-15-301, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 250, Laws of Utah 2002
                      49-16-201, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 250, Laws of Utah 2002
                      49-19-401, as last amended by Chapter 240, Laws of Utah 2003
                      49-19-402, as enacted by Chapter 250, Laws of Utah 2002
                      49-20-201, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 250, Laws of Utah 2002
                      49-20-401, as last amended by Chapter 240, Laws of Utah 2003
                 

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                  Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
                      Section 1. Section 49-11-201 is amended to read:
                       49-11-201. Establishment of retirement office -- An independent state agency --
                  Office exemption.
                      (1) (a) There is established the Utah State Retirement Office, which may also be known
                  and function as the Utah State Retirement Systems.
                      (b) The office shall administer the systems, plans, and programs and perform all other
                  functions assigned to it under this title.
                      (2) (a) The office is an independent state agency.
                      (b) It is subject to legislative and executive department budgetary review and comment.
                      (3) The office may establish branch offices upon approval of the board.
                      (4) The board and office are exempt from those acts which are applicable to state and
                  other governmental entities under this code.
                      Section 2. Section 49-11-504 is amended to read:
                       49-11-504. Reemployment of a retiree -- Restrictions.
                      (1) A person who retires from a nonparticipating employer is not subject to any
                  postretirement restrictions under this title.
                      (2) A retiree of an agency who returns to work at a different agency is not subject to any
                  postretirement restrictions under this section and may not earn additional service credit.
                      (3) For the purposes of Subsections (4) and (5), "full-time" employment means
                  employment requiring 20 hours of work per week or more or at least a half-time teaching
                  contract.
                      (4) A retiree of an agency who is reemployed on a full-time basis by the same agency
                  within six months of the date of retirement is subject to the following:
                      (a) the agency shall immediately notify the office;
                      (b) the office shall cancel the retiree's allowance and reinstate the retiree to active
                  member status;
                      (c) the allowance cancellation and reinstatement to active member status is effective on

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                  the first day of the month following the date of reemployment;
                      (d) the reinstated retiree may not retire again with a recalculated benefit for a two-year
                  period from the date of cancellation of the original allowance, and if the retiree retires again
                  within the two-year period, the original allowance shall be resumed; and
                      (e) a reinstated retiree retiring after the two-year period shall be credited with the service
                  credit in the retiree's account at the time of the first retirement and from that time shall be treated
                  as a member of a system, including the accrual of additional service credit, but subject to
                  recalculation of the allowance under Subsection (9).
                      (5) A retiree of an agency who is reemployed by the same agency within six months of
                  retirement on a less than full-time basis by the same agency is subject to the following:
                      (a) the retiree may earn, without penalty, compensation from that position which is not in
                  excess of the exempt earnings permitted by Social Security;
                      (b) if a retiree receives compensation in a calendar year in excess of the Social Security
                  limitation, 25% of the allowance shall be suspended for the remainder of the six-month period;
                      (c) the effective date of a suspension and reinstatement of an allowance shall be set by the
                  office; and
                      (d) any suspension of a retiree's allowance under this Subsection (5) shall be applied on a
                  calendar year basis.
                      (6) For six months immediately following retirement, the retiree and participating
                  employer shall:
                      (a) maintain an accurate record of gross earnings in employment;
                      (b) report the gross earnings at least monthly to the office;
                      (c) immediately notify the office in writing of any postretirement earnings under
                  Subsection (4); and
                      (d) immediately notify the office in writing whether postretirement earnings equal or
                  exceed the exempt earnings under Subsection (5).
                      (7) A retiree of an agency who is reemployed by the same agency after six months from
                  the retirement date is not subject to any postretirement [penalties] restrictions under this title and

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                  may not earn additional service credit.
                      (8) If a participating employer hires a retiree that may not earn additional service credit
                  under this section, the participating employer shall contribute the same percentage of a retiree's
                  salary that the participating employer would have been required to contribute if the retiree were
                  an active member, up to the amount allowed by federal law, to a retiree designated:
                      (a) defined contribution plan administered by the board, if the participating employer
                  participates in the defined contribution plan administered by the board; or
                      (b) defined contribution plan offered by the participating employer if the participating
                  employer does not participate in a defined contribution plan administered by the board.
                      (9) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a retiree who has returned to
                  work, accrued additional service credit, and again retires shall have the retiree's allowance
                  recalculated using:
                      (a) the formula in effect at the date of the retiree's original retirement for all service credit
                  accrued prior to that date; and
                      (b) the formula in effect at the date of the subsequent retirement for all service credit
                  accrued between the first and subsequent retirement dates.
                      (10) This section does not apply to appointive officers or elected positions.
                      (11) The board may make rules to implement this section.
                      Section 3. Section 49-11-602 is amended to read:
                       49-11-602. Participating employer to maintain records -- Time limit -- Penalties for
                  failure to comply.
                      (1) A participating employer shall maintain records necessary to calculate benefits under
                  this title and other records necessary for proper administration of this title as required by the
                  office.
                      (2) A participating employer shall maintain the records required under Subsection (1)
                  until the [latest] earliest of:
                      (a) three years after the date of retirement of the employee from a system or plan;
                      (b) three years after the date of death of the employee; or

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                      (c) 65 years from the date [the employee terminates] of employment with the participating
                  employer.
                      (3) A participating employer shall be liable to the office for:
                      (a) any liabilities and expenses, including administrative expenses and the cost of
                  increased benefits to members, resulting from the participating employer's failure to maintain
                  records under this section; and
                      (b) a penalty equal to 1% of the participating employer's last month's contributions.
                      (4) The executive director may waive all or any part of the interest, penalties, expenses,
                  and fees if the executive director finds there were extenuating circumstances surrounding the
                  participating employer's failure to comply with this section.
                      (5) The executive director may estimate the length of service, compensation, or age of
                  any member, if that information is not contained in the records.
                      Section 4. Section 49-11-609 is amended to read:
                       49-11-609. Beneficiary designations -- Revocation of beneficiary designation --
                  Procedure -- Beneficiary not designated -- Payment to survivors in order established under
                  the Uniform Probate Code -- Restrictions on payment -- Payment of deceased's expenses.
                      (1) As used in this section, "member" includes a member, retiree, participant, covered
                  individual, a spouse of a retiree participating in the insurance benefits created by Sections
                  49-12-404 and 49-13-404 , or an alternate payee under a domestic relations order dividing a
                  defined contribution account.
                      (2) The most recent beneficiary designations contained in office records, including
                  electronic records, at the time of the member's death are binding in the payment of any benefits
                  due under this title.
                      (3) (a) Except where an optional continuing benefit is chosen, or the law makes a specific
                  benefit designation to a dependent spouse, a member may revoke a beneficiary designation at any
                  time and may execute and file a different beneficiary designation with the office.
                      (b) A change of beneficiary designation shall be completed on forms provided by the
                  office.

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                      (4) (a) All benefits payable by the office may be paid or applied to the benefit of the
                  surviving next of kin of the deceased in the order of precedence established under Title 75,
                  Chapter 2, Intestate Succession and Wills, if:
                      (i) no beneficiary is designated or if all designated beneficiaries have predeceased the
                  member;
                      (ii) the location of the beneficiary or secondary beneficiaries cannot be ascertained by the
                  office within 12 months of the date [beneficiaries are provided with the forms] a reasonable
                  attempt is made by the office to locate the beneficiaries; or
                      (iii) the beneficiary has not completed the forms necessary to pay the benefits within six
                  months of the date that beneficiary forms are sent to the beneficiary's last-known address.
                      (b) (i) A payment may not be made to a person included in any of the groups referred to
                  in Subsection (4)(a) if at the date of payment there is a living person in any of the groups
                  preceding it.
                      (ii) Payment to a person in any group based upon receipt from the person of an affidavit
                  in a form satisfactory to the office that:
                      (A) there are no living individuals in the group preceding it;
                      (B) the probate of the estate of the deceased has not been commenced; and
                      (C) more than three months have elapsed since the date of death of the decedent.
                      (5) Benefits paid under this section shall be:
                      (a) a full satisfaction and discharge of all claims for benefits under this title; and
                      (b) payable by reason of the death of the decedent.
                      Section 5. Section 49-11-612 is amended to read:
                       49-11-612. Nonassignability of benefits or payments -- Exemption from legal
                  process.
                      (1) Except as provided in Subsections (2), (3), and (4), the right of any member, retiree,
                  participant, or beneficiary to any retirement benefit, retirement payment, or any other retirement
                  right accrued or accruing under this title and the assets of the funds created by this title are not
                  subject to alienation or assignment by the member, retiree, participant, or their beneficiaries and

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                  are not subject to attachment, execution, garnishment, or any other legal or equitable process.
                      (2) The office may, upon the request of the retiree, deduct from the retiree's allowance
                  insurance premiums or other dues payable on behalf of the retiree, but only to those entities that
                  have received the deductions prior to February 1, 2002.
                      (3) (a) The office shall provide for the division of an allowance, defined contribution
                  account, continuing monthly death benefit, or refund of member contributions upon termination to
                  former spouses and family members under an order of a court of competent jurisdiction with
                  respect to domestic relations matters on file with the office.
                      (b) The court order shall specify the manner in which the allowance, defined contribution
                  account, continuing monthly death benefit, or refund of member contributions shall be partitioned,
                  whether as a fixed amount or as a percentage of the benefit.
                      (c) Allowances, continuing monthly death benefits, and refunds of member contributions
                  split under a domestic relations order are subject to the following:
                      (i) the amount to be paid or the period for which payments shall be made under the
                  original domestic relations order may not be altered if the alteration affects the actuarial
                  calculation of the allowance;
                      (ii) payments to an alternate payee shall begin at the time the member or beneficiary
                  begins receiving payments; and
                      (iii) the alternate payee shall receive payments in the same form as [payments] allowances
                  received by the member or beneficiary.
                      (4) In accordance with federal law, the board may deduct the required amount from any
                  benefit, payment, or other right accrued or accruing to any member of a system, plan, or program
                  under this title to offset any amount that member owes to a system, plan, or program administered
                  by the board.
                      (5) The board shall make rules to implement this section.
                      Section 6. Section 49-12-404 is amended to read:
                       49-12-404. Lump-sum death benefit for retiree and spouse.
                      (1) (a) Upon retirement, a retiree may elect to have the office deduct an actuarially

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                  determined amount from the retiree's allowance to provide a lump-sum benefit payable to a
                  beneficiary upon the death of the retiree.
                      (b) [A] Upon retirement, a retiree may also elect to have an actuarially determined
                  amount deducted from the retiree's allowance to provide a lump-sum death benefit payable to a
                  beneficiary upon the death of the retiree's lawful spouse at the time of retirement.
                      (c) The board may make rules for the administration of this lump-sum death benefit.
                      (2) (a) For [retirees] a retiree who [pay] pays for a lump-sum death benefit under this
                  section through a reduction of an allowance, benefits shall be paid in accordance with Sections
                  49-11-609 and 49-11-610 .
                      (b) If the retiree chooses Option Three, Four, Five, or Six, and a lump-sum death benefit
                  is payable after the death of the retiree [or the lawful spouse], the allowance shall be restored to
                  its original amount.
                      (3) (a) A retiree whose retirement date is on or after July 1, 1995, may elect to cancel the
                  lump-sum death benefit under this section.
                      (b) The cancellation under this Subsection (3) is irrevocable.
                      (c) Upon cancellation, the allowance shall be restored to its original amount and benefits
                  under this section may not be paid.
                      Section 7. Section 49-13-205 is amended to read:
                       49-13-205. Conversion to system -- Time schedule -- Conversion windows.
                      (1) An employee governed under Section 49-13-201 shall make the election to participate
                  in this system within six months of July 1, 1986.
                      (2) (a) (i) An employer governed under Sections 49-13-201 and 49-13-202 shall make the
                  election to participate in this system within six months of July 1, 1986.
                      (ii) The employer shall indicate whether or not it elects to participate by enacting a
                  resolution or ordinance to that effect.
                      (iii) Prior to the enactment of the resolution or ordinance, a hearing shall be held by the
                  employer, at which all employees of the political subdivision shall be given an opportunity to be
                  heard on the question of participating in this system.

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                      (iv) Notice of the hearing shall be mailed to all employees within 30 days of the hearing
                  and shall contain the time, place, and purpose of the hearing.
                      (b) A regular full-time employee has six months from the date the employer elects to
                  participate in this system in which to make the election to participate in this system and become
                  eligible for service credit in this system.
                      (3) Subsections (1) and (2) shall be used to provide a second time period of conversion to
                  this system beginning July 1, 1990.
                      (4) Subsections (1) and (2) shall be used to provide a third time period of conversion to
                  this system beginning July 1, 1995.
                      (5) A member of the Contributory Retirement System who is employed by one agency
                  and who either transfers to or is reemployed by another agency shall transfer to the
                  Noncontributory Retirement System as of the date of employment, if the participating employer
                  has elected to participate in the Noncontributory Retirement System.
                      Section 8. Section 49-13-404 is amended to read:
                       49-13-404. Lump-sum death benefit for retiree and spouse.
                      (1) (a) Upon retirement, a retiree may elect to have the office deduct an actuarially
                  determined amount from the retiree's allowance to provide a lump-sum benefit payable to a
                  beneficiary upon the death of the retiree.
                      (b) [A] Upon retirement, a retiree may also elect to have an actuarially determined
                  amount deducted from the retiree's allowance to provide a lump-sum death benefit payable to a
                  beneficiary upon the death of the retiree's lawful spouse at the time of retirement.
                      (c) The board shall make rules for the administration of this lump-sum death benefit.
                      (2) (a) For [retirees] a retiree who [pay] pays for a lump-sum death benefit under this
                  section through a reduction of an allowance, benefits shall be paid in accordance with Sections
                  49-11-609 and 49-11-610 .
                      (b) If the retiree chooses Option Three, Four, Five, or Six, and a lump-sum death benefit
                  is payable after the death of the retiree [or the lawful spouse], the allowance shall be restored to
                  its original amount.

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                      (3) (a) A retiree whose retirement date is on or after July 1, 1995, may elect to cancel the
                  lump-sum death benefit under this section.
                      (b) The cancellation under this Subsection (3) is irrevocable.
                      (c) Upon cancellation, the allowance shall be restored to its original amount and benefits
                  under this section may not be paid.
                      Section 9. Section 49-14-301 is amended to read:
                       49-14-301. Contributions -- Two divisions -- Election by employer to pay employee
                  contributions -- Accounting for and vesting of member contributions -- Deductions.
                      (1) Participating employers and members shall jointly pay the certified contribution rates
                  to the office to maintain this system on a financially and actuarially sound basis.
                      (2) For purposes of determining contribution rates, this system is divided into two
                  divisions according to Social Security coverage as follows:
                      (a) members of this system with on-the-job Social Security coverage are in Division A;
                  and
                      (b) members of this system without on-the-job Social Security coverage are in Division B.
                      (3) (a) A participating employer may elect to pay all or part of the required member
                  contributions, in addition to the required participating employer contributions.
                      (b) Any amount contributed by a participating employer under this section shall vest to
                  the member's benefit as though the member had made the contribution.
                      (c) The required member contributions shall be reduced by the amount that is paid by the
                  participating employer.
                      (4) (a) All member contributions are credited by the office to the account of the individual
                  member.
                      (b) This amount, plus refund interest, is held in trust for the payment of benefits to the
                  member or the member's beneficiaries.
                      (c) All member contributions are vested and nonforfeitable.
                      (5) (a) Each member is considered to consent to payroll deductions of member
                  contributions.

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                      (b) The payment of compensation less these payroll deductions is considered full payment
                  for services rendered by the member.
                      (6) Contribution rates for a participating employer may be different than for other
                  participating employers based on the participating employer's current funding status and actuarial
                  experience.
                      Section 10. Section 49-15-301 is amended to read:
                       49-15-301. Contributions -- Two divisions.
                      (1) Participating employers shall pay the certified contribution rates to the office to
                  maintain this system on a financially and actuarially sound basis.
                      (2) For purposes of determining contribution rates, this system is divided into two
                  divisions according to Social Security coverage.
                      (a) Members of this system with on-the-job Social Security coverage are Division A.
                      (b) Members of this system without on-the-job Social Security coverage are in Division B.
                      (3) Contribution rates for a participating employer may be different than for other
                  participating employers based on the participating employer's current funding status and actuarial
                  experience.
                      Section 11. Section 49-16-201 is amended to read:
                       49-16-201. System membership -- Eligibility.
                      (1) A firefighter service employee who performs firefighter service for an employer
                  participating in this system is eligible for service credit in this system upon the earliest of:
                      (a) July 1, 1971, if the firefighter service employee was employed by the participating
                  employer on July 1, 1971, and the participating employer was participating in this system on that
                  date;
                      (b) the date the participating employer begins participating in this system if the firefighter
                  service employee was employed by the participating employer on that date; or
                      (c) the date the firefighter service employee is hired to perform firefighter services for a
                  participating employer.
                      (2) (a) (i) A participating employer that has public safety service and firefighter service

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                  employees that require cross-training and duty shall enroll the dual purpose employees in the
                  system in which the greatest amount of time is actually worked.
                      (ii) The employees shall either be full-time public safety service or full-time firefighter
                  service employees of the participating employer.
                      (b) (i) Prior to transferring a dual purpose employee from one system to another, the
                  participating employer shall receive written permission from the office.
                      (ii) The office may request documentation to verify the appropriateness of the transfer.
                      (3) (a) A person hired by a regularly constituted fire department on or after July 1, 1971,
                  who does not perform firefighter service is not eligible for service credit in this system.
                      (b) The nonfirefighter service employee shall become a member of the system for which
                  the nonfirefighter service employee qualifies for service credit.
                      (c) The service credit exclusion under this Subsection (3) may not be interpreted to
                  prohibit the assignment of a disabled or partially disabled firefighter to a nonfirefighter service
                  position.
                      (d) If Subsection (3)(c) applies, the firefighter service employee remains eligible for
                  service credit in this system.
                      (4) An allowance or other benefit may not be granted under this system that is based upon
                  the same service for benefits received under some other system.
                      (5) Service as a volunteer firefighter is not eligible for service credit in this system.
                      (6) An employer that maintains a regularly constituted fire department is eligible to
                  participate in this system.
                      Section 12. Section 49-19-401 is amended to read:
                       49-19-401. Eligibility for an allowance -- Governor -- Legislator.
                      (1) A governor is qualified to receive an allowance when:
                      (a) the governor has submitted to the office a notarized retirement application form that
                  states the proposed retirement date; and
                      (b) one of the following conditions is met as of the retirement date:
                      (i) the governor has completed at least one full term in office and has attained an age of

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                  65 years; or
                      (ii) the governor has served as governor of the state for at least ten years and has attained
                  an age of 62 years.
                      (2) A legislator is qualified to receive an allowance when:
                      (a) the legislator has submitted to the office a notarized retirement application form that
                  states the proposed retirement date; and
                      (b) one of the following conditions is met as of the retirement date:
                      (i) the legislator has completed at least four years in the Legislature and has attained an
                  age of 65 years; or
                      (ii) the legislator has completed at least ten years in the Legislature and has attained an
                  age of 62 years.
                      (3) (a) The retirement date shall be the 1st or the 16th day of the month as selected by the
                  member.
                      (b) The retirement date may not be more than 90 days before or after the date the
                  application is received by the office.
                      (4) A member who withdraws member contributions shall forfeit all allowances based on
                  those contributions.
                      (5) If a retired legislator is elected to another term in the Legislature or continues to serve
                  in the Legislature [after reaching age 65], the legislative allowance ceases at the beginning of each
                  session under rules established by the board, but is restored at the same amount at the end of the
                  session.
                      (6) A member receiving an allowance while serving as a legislator is eligible for additional
                  service credits and allowance adjustments at the end of each term of office if the legislator
                  continues as a contributing member during the member's service as a legislator.
                      Section 13. Section 49-19-402 is amended to read:
                       49-19-402. Calculation of allowance -- Reduction for early retirement.
                      (1) (a) The base retirement amount for a governor under this plan is $500 per term,
                  adjusted as provided in Section 49-19-404 since 1973.

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                      (b) A governor's allowance shall be calculated by multiplying the base retirement amount
                  at the [end of the governor's service] retirement date by the number of terms the governor served,
                  including fractions of terms.
                      (2) (a) The base retirement amount for a legislator under this plan is $10 per year of
                  service in the Legislature, adjusted as provided in Section 49-19-404 , since 1967.
                      (b) A legislator's allowance shall be calculated by multiplying the base retirement amount
                  at the [end of the legislator's service] retirement date by the number of years the legislator served,
                  including fractions of years.
                      (3) If a governor or legislator retires prior to age 65, the allowance shall be reduced by
                  3% for each year of retirement between age 62 and age 65.
                      Section 14. Section 49-20-201 is amended to read:
                       49-20-201. Program participation -- Eligibility -- Optional for certain groups.
                      (1) (a) The state shall participate in the program on behalf of its employees.
                      (b) Other employers, including political subdivisions and educational institutions, are
                  eligible, but are not required, to participate in the program on behalf of their employees.
                      (2) (a) The Department of Health may participate in the program for the purpose of
                  providing health and dental benefits to children enrolled in the Utah Children's Health Insurance
                  Program created in Title 26, Chapter 40, Utah Children's Health Insurance Act, if the provisions
                  in Subsection 26-40-110 (4) occur.
                      (b) If the Department of Health participates in the program under the provisions of this
                  Subsection (2), all insurance risk associated with the Children's Health Insurance Program shall be
                  the responsibility of the Department of Health and not the program or the office.
                      (3) A covered individual covered under a medical employee benefit plan shall be eligible
                  for coverage after termination of employment under rules adopted by the board.
                      (4) [Only retirees, members, participants, and their current spouses] Only the following
                  are eligible for Medicare supplement coverage under this chapter upon becoming eligible for
                  Medicare Part A and Part B coverage[.]:
                      (a) retirees;

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                      (b) members;
                      (c) participants;
                      (d) employees who have medical employee benefit plan coverage at the time of their
                  retirement; and
                      (e) current spouses of those who are eligible under Subsections (4)(a) through (d).
                      Section 15. Section 49-20-401 is amended to read:
                       49-20-401. Program -- Powers and duties.
                      (1) The program shall:
                      (a) act as a self-insurer of employee benefit plans and administer those plans;
                      (b) enter into contracts with private insurers or carriers to underwrite employee benefit
                  plans as considered appropriate by the program;
                      (c) indemnify employee benefit plans or purchase commercial reinsurance as considered
                  appropriate by the program;
                      (d) provide descriptions of all employee benefit plans under this chapter in cooperation
                  with covered employers;
                      (e) process claims for all employee benefit plans under this chapter or enter into contracts,
                  after competitive bids are taken, with other benefit administrators to provide for the
                  administration of the claims process;
                      (f) obtain an annual actuarial review of all health and dental benefit plans and a periodic
                  review of all other employee benefit plans;
                      (g) consult with the covered employers to evaluate employee benefit plans and develop
                  recommendations for benefit changes;
                      (h) annually submit a budget and audited financial statements to the governor and
                  Legislature which includes total projected benefit costs and administrative costs;
                      (i) maintain reserves sufficient to liquidate the unrevealed claims liability and other
                  liabilities of the employee benefit plans as certified by the program's consulting actuary;
                      (j) submit its recommended benefit adjustments for state employees to the director of the
                  state Department of Human Resource Management;

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                      (k) determine benefits and rates, upon approval of the board, for multiemployer risk
                  pools, retiree coverage, and conversion coverage;
                      (l) determine benefits and rates, upon approval of the board and the Legislature, for state
                  employees;
                      (m) administer benefits and rates, upon ratification of the board, for single employer risk
                  pools;
                      (n) request proposals for provider networks or health and dental benefit plans
                  administered by third party carriers at least once every three years for the purposes of:
                      (i) stimulating competition for the benefit of covered individuals;
                      (ii) establishing better geographical distribution of medical care services; and
                      (iii) providing coverage for both active and retired covered individuals;
                      (o) offer proposals which meet the criteria specified in a request for proposals and
                  accepted by the program to active and retired state covered individuals and which may be offered
                  to active and retired covered individuals of other covered employers at the option of the covered
                  employer;
                      (p) perform the same functions established in Subsections (1)(a), (b), (e), and (h) for the
                  Department of Health if the program provides program benefits to children enrolled in the Utah
                  Children's Health Insurance Program created in Title 26, Chapter 40, Utah Children's Health
                  Insurance Act;
                      (q) establish rules and procedures governing the admission of political subdivisions or
                  educational institutions and their employees to the program;
                      (r) contract directly with medical providers to provide services for covered individuals;
                  and
                      (s) take additional actions necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this
                  chapter.
                      (2) (a) Funds budgeted and expended shall accrue from rates paid by the covered
                  employers and covered individuals.
                      (b) Administrative costs shall be approved by the board and reported to the governor and

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                  the Legislature.
                      (3) The Department of Human Resource Management shall include the benefit
                  adjustments described in Subsection (1)(j) in the total compensation plan recommended to the
                  governor required under Subsection 67-19-12 (6)(a).
                      Section 16. Effective date.
                      This bill takes effect on July 1, 2004.

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