SENATE DOCKET, NO. 336        FILED ON: 1/14/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1382

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

John F. Keenan

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to GIC dental and vision benefits for municipal employees.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

John F. Keenan

Norfolk and Plymouth

 

Kenneth J. Donnelly

Fourth Middlesex

 

Thomas M. McGee

Third Essex

 

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

 

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

 

Barbara A. L'Italien

Second Essex and Middlesex

 

Kathleen O'Connor Ives

First Essex

 

Jennifer L. Flanagan

Worcester and Middlesex

 

Anne M. Gobi

Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex

 

Marc R. Pacheco

First Plymouth and Bristol

 

Paul R. Heroux

2nd Bristol

 

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

 

Joan B.  Lovely

Second Essex

 

Thomas P. Kennedy

Second Plymouth and Bristol

3/4/2015


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 336        FILED ON: 1/14/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1382

By Mr. Keenan, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1382) of John F. Keenan, Kenneth J. Donnelly, Thomas M. McGee, Jason M. Lewis and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to GIC dental and vision benefits for municipal employees.  Public Service.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

_______________

 

An Act relative to GIC dental and vision benefits for municipal employees.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 19 of chapter 32B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after subsection (j), the following subsection:-

(k) Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, agreements reached by an appropriate public authority and the public employee committee under subsection (a) to transfer all subscribers to the commission under subsections (e) and (f), may be modified by further agreement  to allow active employees and their dependents to enroll in the dental and vision insurance plan provided by the commission to retirees, surviving spouses and their dependents under subsection (j),with premium contribution ratios and administrative fees for active employees and their dependents to be negotiated by said appropriate public authority and public employee committee. The commission shall provide dental insurance coverage, under its plan for retirees, surviving spouses and their dependents insured under Chapter 32A, to active employees and their dependents who elect the coverage under this subsection, as it so provides health insurance coverage under sections (e) and (f).  The commission may charge an administrative fee, which shall not be more than 1 percent of the cost of total dental insurance premiums for the active employees and their dependents who enroll in the dental plan under this section, to be determined by the commission which shall be considered as part of the cost of coverage for purposes of determining the contributions of the political subdivision and its active employees and their dependents to the cost of insurance coverage by the commission.

SECTION 2. Section 23 of said chapter 32B, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after subsection (i), the following subsection:-

(j) Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, agreements reached by an appropriate public authority and the public employee committee to transfer all subscribers, for whom the authority provides health insurance coverage, to the commission under this section, may be modified by further agreement to allow active employees and their dependents to enroll in the dental and vision insurance plan provided by the commission to retirees, surviving spouses and their dependents under subsection (i),with premium contribution ratios and administrative fees for active employees and their dependents to be negotiated by said appropriate public authority and public employee committee. The commission shall provide dental insurance coverage, under its plan for retirees, surviving spouses and their dependents insured under Chapter 32A, to active employees and their dependents who elect the coverage under this subsection, as it so provides health insurance coverage under this section.  The commission may charge an administrative fee, which shall not be more than 1 percent of the cost of total dental insurance premiums for the active employees and their dependents who enroll in the dental plan under this section, to be determined by the commission which shall be considered as part of the cost of coverage for purposes of determining the contributions of the political subdivision and its active employees and their dependents to the cost of insurance coverage by the commission.