§ 36-29-1 — Definitions

When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings, respectively, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(1) BOARD. The State Employees’ Insurance Board.
(2) CLASS. An employee or retiree shall be included in one of the following classes: (i) active employee single, (ii) active employee family, (iii) non-Medicare retiree single, (iv) non-Medicare retiree family, (v) Medicare retiree single, (vi) Medicare retiree family, (vii) non-Medicare retiree with Medicare eligible dependent(s), or (viii) Medicare retiree with non-Medicare dependent(s).
(3) EMPLOYEE. A person who works full time for the State of Alabama or for a county health department and who receives his or her full compensation on a monthly basis through means of a state warrant drawn upon the State Treasury or by check drawn by the Treasurer of the Alabama State Port Authority or by check drawn by the treasurer of the Alabama state agency for surplus property other than those employees covered by the federal Railroad Retirement Act. Full-time employees of the county health department in all counties having populations of not less than 300,000 nor more than 500,000 shall also be included in the definition of employee for the purpose of this chapter, and the health department of any such county is hereby authorized to pay the employer’s share of any contributions to the retirement fund; provided further, that any district attorney or full-time employees in the district attorney’s office, of any judicial circuit shall be included in the definition of employee for the purpose of this chapter, and the respective judicial circuits are hereby authorized to pay the employer’s share of any contribution therefor and any person employed part time by the State of Alabama on a wage and hourly basis, excluding fee compensations and other like arrangements, shall be included in the definition of employee as defined in this chapter provided such person shall agree to have deducted from his or her hourly wage, as stipulated, a pro rata portion of the premium cost of a full-time state employee based on the percentage of time such person is employed by the state according to rules and regulations established by the State Employees’ Insurance Board. The term shall also include an employee who worked at least 10 years for the State Department of Transportation in “captive county” circumstances as defined by Section 23-1-100 and who was transferred to county employment upon the adoption of Article 3A, Chapter 1, Title 23. Provided further, however, any costs incurred as a result of including such employee in this term shall be payable from funds of the State Department of Transportation.
(4) EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION. The amount of the total health insurance premium to be paid by the employee or retiree as determined by the board.
(5) EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION. The amount of the total health insurance premium to be paid by the employer as determined by the board.
(6) FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. Income level determined in Section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act 2 (42 U.S.C. § 9902(2)). Should the federal government no longer derive or substantially change its derivation of the federal poverty level, the State Employees’ Insurance Board has the authority to derive and apply an alternate poverty level to carry out its obligations under this chapter.
(7) HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM. The total health insurance cost under the State Employees’ Health Insurance Plan with respect to each class of employees or retirees. Individual premiums may include adjustments and surcharges for (i) family size including, but not limited to, a husband and wife both being covered by the State Employees’ Health Insurance Plan, (ii) spouse’s eligibility for other health insurance, (iii) smokers and users of tobacco products, (iv) preventative care and wellness care participation, and (v) any such other categories of risk that the board shall approve.
(8) MEDICARE RETIREE. A retiree entitled to benefits under the federal Medicare program (Subchapter XVIII of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1395 et seq.).
(9) NON-MEDICARE RETIREE. A retiree not entitled to benefits under the federal Medicare program (Subchapter XVIII of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1395 et seq.).
(10) OTHER EMPLOYER GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE. Group health insurance coverage available to an employee or retiree through an employer other than the State of Alabama. Other employer group health insurance coverage does not include the State Employees’ Health Insurance Plan, the Public Education Employees’ Health Insurance Plan, or the local government health insurance plan.
(11) RETIREE. An employee who retires from the service of the State of Alabama, who, at the time of such retirement has at least 10 years of creditable coverage, meets the criteria set out in this chapter and who, following such retirement, draws a monthly benefit from the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama, the Judicial Retirement System of Alabama, the Teachers’ Retirement System of Alabama, or the Alabama State Port Authority.
(12) STATE EMPLOYEES’ HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN. The health benefit plan administered or offered by the State Employees’ Insurance Board for eligible employees and retirees and their respective dependents. The State Employees’ Insurance Board may offer supplemental coverages and policies in lieu of or in addition to coverage in the basic medical plan of the State Employees’ Health Insurance Plan. Also referred to herein as “health insurance plan” or “plan.”
(13) SUPPLEMENTAL COVERAGE. Coverage offered to employees and retirees by the State Employees’ Insurance Board in lieu of coverage in the basic medical plan of the State Employees’ Health Insurance Plan that supplements an employee’s or retiree’s other employer group health insurance coverage.
(14) SUPPLEMENTAL POLICY. A policy offered to employees and retirees by the State Employees’ Insurance Board, in lieu of or in addition to coverage in the basic medical plan of the State Employees’ Health Insurance Plan, that provides a defined set of benefits.
(15) THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR. An entity contracted by the State Employees’ Insurance Board to provide certain administrative services as it deems appropriate and necessary to carry out its obligations under this chapter.
(16) YEARS OF CREDITABLE COVERAGE. The number of years and months that an employee is covered under the State Employees’ Health Insurance Plan prior to retirement as determined by the State Employees’ Insurance Board, including any periods of full-time permanent employment subsequent to retirement up to a maximum of five years. Creditable coverage shall also include months and years: (1) Related to service in the United States Armed Forces; (2) as a part-time employee prior to October 1, 2005; (3) as an employee as defined in Sections 16-25A-1 and 16-25A-11; (4) as a full time employee of a local legislative delegation office which participates in the Employees’ Retirement System if the employee is under the state employees’ insurance plan on June 14, 2011; (5) as an employee of a postsecondary institution eligible for Public Education Employees’ Health Insurance Plan coverage as a retiree whether the institution participates in the Public Education Employees’ Health Insurance Plan or has its own plan of insurance for active employees, provided the postsecondary institution contributes an amount to the State Employees Insurance Fund for each of its retired employees equal to any amount appropriated by the state to fund benefits for retired employees as determined by the State Employees’ Insurance Board; (6) as a juvenile probation officer provided that the Administrative Office of Courts contributes an amount to the State Employees Insurance Fund for each retired juvenile probation officer equal to any amount appropriated by the state to fund benefits for retired employees as determined by the State Employees’ Insurance Board; or (7) as an employee of the USS Alabama Battleship Commission provided that the USS Alabama Battleship Commission contributes an amount to the State Employees Insurance Fund for each retired employee of the USS Alabama Battleship Commission equal to any amount appropriated by the state to fund benefits for retired employees as determined by the State Employees’ Insurance Board. For employees of the Alabama State Port Authority, the term years of creditable coverage shall mean the sum of the number of years and months of creditable service as determined by the Employees’ Retirement System, the Teachers’ Retirement System, or the Judicial Retirement System with regard to any periods of time during which such employee was employed under the Merit System plus the number of years and months of creditable service as determined by the State Employees’ Insurance Board with regard to any period of time during which such employee was employed by the Alabama State Port Authority as a non-Merit System employee.
(17) YEARS OF SERVICE. The number of years and months of creditable service by an employee prior to retirement as determined by the Employees’ Retirement System, Teachers’ Retirement System, or Judicial Retirement System including any periods of full time permanent employment subsequent to retirement up to a maximum of five years. Except for creditable service related to service in the United States Armed Forces, or as an employee as defined in Sections 16-25A-1 and 16-25A-11, or as an employee of a postsecondary institution eligible for PEEHIP coverage as a retiree whether the institution participates in PEEHIP or has its own plan of insurance for active employees, the State Employees’ Insurance Board may exclude from years of service any years and months of creditable service it determines was not related to service as an employee as defined in Section 36-29-1. For employees of the Alabama State Port Authority, the term years of service shall mean the sum of the number of years and months of creditable service as determined by the Employees’ Retirement System, the Teachers’ Retirement System, or the Judicial Retirement System with regard to any periods of time during which such employee was employed under the Merit System plus the number of years and months of creditable service as determined by the State Employees’ Insurance Board with regard to any period of time during which such employee was employed by the Alabama State Port Authority as a non-Merit System employee.

Legislative History

(Acts 1965, No. 833, p. 1564, §§1, 2; Acts 1966, Ex. Sess., No. 242, p. 365, §1; Acts 1967, No. 430, p. 1099, §1; Acts 1971, No. 279, p. 586, §1; Acts 1971, No. 2392, p. 3816, §1; Acts 1982, No. 82-621, p. 1175, §1; Acts 1989, No. 89-464, p. 949, §§1, 2; Act 2004-647, 1st Sp. Sess., p. 17, §1; Act 2008-280, p. 542, §1; Act 2011-698, p. 2141, §1; Act 2012-530, p. 1573, §1.)