SENATE DOCKET, NO. 308        FILED ON: 1/11/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1548

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

John F. Keenan

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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.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 308        FILED ON: 1/11/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1548

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1424 OF 2017-2018.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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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 2016 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.