HF 500

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to the military; modifying the eligibility
for state-paid insurance and benefits by making
members of the Minnesota National Guard or other
military reserve units called to federal active
service and deployed to foreign lands and their
families eligible for participation in the health
insurance portions of the state employee group
insurance program; appropriating money; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 43A.24, by adding a
subdivision; 43A.26; 43A.30, subdivision 1.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 43A.24, is
amended by adding a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Eligible soldiers. new text end

new text begin (a) A member of the
Minnesota National Guard or other reserve component of the armed
forces of the United States is eligible to participate in the
hospital and medical benefits contained in the plan established
under section 43A.18, subdivision 2, if the soldier:
new text end

new text begin (1) engaged in a deployment under federal active service as
defined in section 190.05, subdivision 5c, for at least 90
consecutive days to a location outside of the United States;
new text end

new text begin (2) is serving satisfactorily as defined by the adjutant
general or was honorably discharged following completion of the
deployment;
new text end

new text begin (3) submits an application for benefits under the
procedures established by the commissioner within eight months
of completion of the deployment;
new text end

new text begin (4) certifies that the soldier, or soldier's spouse if
applicable, does not have insurance coverage available through
the soldier or spouse's employer or will not have insurance
coverage available when the coverage under section 43A.18,
subdivision 2, is to begin; and
new text end

new text begin (5) was a resident of Minnesota when the deployment began.
new text end

new text begin (b) The eligible soldier is eligible for one month of
coverage for each month of the deployment described in paragraph
(a), clause (1). Coverages made available, including optional
coverages, are those contained in the plan established under
section 43A.18, subdivision 2.
new text end

new text begin (c) If the eligible soldier is killed during the
deployment, the member's surviving spouse or dependents are
eligible for health and medical benefits to the same extent that
the soldier would have been eligible.
new text end

new text begin (d) The eligible soldier is eligible to receive coverage,
whether single coverage for the soldier only or family coverage
for the soldier, spouse, and dependents, at the premium rate for
single coverage of a full-time employee.
new text end

new text begin (e) For purposes of continuation insurance, when coverage
ends under this subdivision, the termination is considered a
qualifying event.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 43A.26, is
amended to read:

43A.26 OPTIONAL COVERAGES.

The commissioner may make available to eligible persons and
their dependents certain optional coverages provided by carriers
selected by the commissioner. Eligible employees may elect to
purchase optional coverages at their own expense. new text begin If family
coverage is available to other eligible persons, eligible
soldiers under section 43A.24, subdivision 4, may elect to
receive family coverage at the expense of the state.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 43A.30,
subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Payments from agency revenues.

Each
agency shall pay the amounts due for state paid life insurance
and hospital, medical and dental benefits coverage authorized
for eligible employees pursuant to this chapter.

Each agency shall pay the amounts from accounts and funds
from which the agency receives its revenues, including
appropriations from the general fund and from any other fund,
now or hereafter existing for the payment of salaries and in the
same proportion as it pays therefrom the amounts of salaries.
In order to enable the commissioner of finance to maintain
proper records covering the appropriations pursuant to this
section, the commissioner of finance may require certifications
in connection with payments as the commissioner of finance deems
necessary from the Minnesota Historical Society, the University
of Minnesota, or any agency whose employees receive benefits
pursuant to this chapter. The accounts and funds from which
agencies receive appropriations under the terms of this section
are a source of revenue for the purposes of any other law or
statutory enactment.

new text begin The Department of Military Affairs is the agency
responsible for paying the amounts due for benefits coverage
provided to eligible soldiers under section 43A.24, subdivision
4. The amount necessary to pay the amount due for eligible
soldiers is appropriated to the adjutant general from the
general fund.
new text end