§ 5-259 — Hospitalization and medical and surgical insurance plan. Eligibility. Coverage for other groups under plan. Municipal Employee Health Insurance Plan. Prescription drug purchasing by nonstate public employers.

Connecticut § 5-259

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 5: State Employees
• Ch. 67: State Personnel Act

Text

(a) The Comptroller, with the approval of the Attorney General and of the Insurance Commissioner, shall arrange and procure a group hospitalization and medical and surgical insurance plan or plans for (1) state employees, (2) members of the General Assembly who elect coverage under such plan or plans, (3) participants in an alternate retirement program who meet the service requirements of section 5-162 or subsection (a) of section 5-166, (4) anyone receiving benefits under section 5-144 or from any state-sponsored retirement system, except the teachers' retirement system and the municipal employees retirement system, (5) judges of probate and Probate Court employees, (6) the surviving spouse, and any dependent children of a state police officer, a member of an organized local police department, a firefighter or a constable who performs criminal law enforcement duties who dies before, on or after June 26, 2003, as the result of injuries received while acting within the scope of such officer's or firefighter's or constable's employment and not as the result of illness or natural causes, and whose surviving spouse and dependent children are not otherwise eligible for a group hospitalization and medical and surgical insurance plan. Coverage for a dependent child pursuant to this subdivision shall terminate no earlier than the end of the calendar year during whichever of the following occurs first, the date on which the child: Becomes covered under a group health plan through the dependent's own employment; or attains the age of twenty-six, (7) employees of the Capital Region Development Authority established by section 32-601, and (8) the surviving spouse and dependent children of any employee of a municipality who dies on or after October 1, 2000, as the result of injuries received while acting within the scope of such employee's employment and not as the result of illness or natural causes, and whose surviving spouse and dependent children are not otherwise eligible for a group hospitalization and medical and surgical insurance plan. For purposes of this subdivision, “employee” means any regular employee or elective officer receiving pay from a municipality, “municipality” means any town, city, borough, school district, taxing district, fire district, district department of health, probate district, housing authority, regional workforce development board established under section 31-3k, flood commission or authority established by special act or regional council of governments. For purposes of subdivision (6) of this subsection, “firefighter” means any person who is regularly employed and paid by any municipality for the purpose of performing firefighting duties for a municipality on average of not less than thirty-five hours per week. The minimum benefits to be provided by such plan or plans shall be substantially equal in value to the benefits that each such employee or member of the General Assembly could secure in such plan or plans on an individual basis on the preceding first day of July. The state shall pay for each such employee and each member of the General Assembly covered by such plan or plans the portion of the premium charged for such member's or employee's individual coverage and seventy per cent of the additional cost of the form of coverage and such amount shall be credited to the total premiums owed by such employee or member of the General Assembly for the form of such member's or employee's coverage under such plan or plans. On and after January 1, 1989, the state shall pay for anyone receiving benefits from any such state-sponsored retirement system one hundred per cent of the portion of the premium charged for such member's or employee's individual coverage and one hundred per cent of any additional cost for the form of coverage. The balance of any premiums payable by an individual employee or by a member of the General Assembly for the form of coverage shall be deducted from the payroll by the State Comptroller. The total premiums payable shall be remitted by the Comptroller to the insurance company or companies or nonprofit organization or organizations providing the coverage. The amount of the state's contribution per employee for a health maintenance organization option shall be equal, in terms of dollars and cents, to the largest amount of the contribution per employee paid for any other option that is available to all eligible state employees included in the health benefits plan, but shall not be required to exceed the amount of the health maintenance organization premium. (b) The insurance coverage procured under subsection (a) of this section for active state employees, employees of the Connecticut Institute for Municipal Studies, anyone receiving benefits from any such state-sponsored retirement system and members of the General Assembly, who are over sixty-five years of age, may be modified to reflect benefits available to such employees or members pursuant to Social Security and medical benefits programs administered by the federal government, provided any payments required to secure such benefits administered by the federal government shall be paid by the Comptroller either directly to the employee or members or to the agency of the federal government authorized to collect such payments. (c) On October 1, 1972, the Comptroller shall continue to afford payroll deduction services for employees participating in existing authorized plans covering state employees until such time as the employee elects in writing to be covered by the plan authorized by subsection (a) of this section. (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the state shall pay for a member of any such state-sponsored retirement system, or a participant in an alternate retirement program who meets the service requirements of section 5-162 or subsection (a) of section 5-166 , and who begins receiving benefits from such system or program on or after November 1, 1989, eighty per cent of the portion of the premium charged for his individual coverage and eighty per cent of any additional cost for his form of coverage. Upon the death of any such member, any surviving spouse of such member who begins receiving benefits from such system shall be eligible for coverage under this section and the state shall pay for any such spouse eighty per cent of the portion of the premium charged for his individual coverage and eighty per cent of any additional cost for his form of coverage. (e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, vending stand operators eligible for membership in the state employees retirement system pursuant to section 5-175a shall be eligible for coverage under the group hospitalization and medical and surgical insurance plans procured under this section, provided the cost for such operators' insurance coverage shall be paid by the Department of Aging and Disability Services from vending machine income pursuant to section 17a-818 . (f) The Comptroller, with the approval of the Attorney General and of the Insurance Commissioner, shall arrange and procure a group hospitalization and medical and surgical insurance plan or plans for any person who adopts a child from the state foster care system, any person who has been a foster parent for the Department of Children and Families for six months or more, and any dependent of such adoptive parent or foster parent who elects coverage under such plan or plans. The Comptroller may also arrange for inclusion of such person and any such dependent in an existing group hospitalization and medical and surgical insurance plan offered by the state. Any adoptive parent or foster parent and any dependent who elects coverage shall pay one hundred per cent of the premium charged for such coverage directly to the insurer, provided such adoptive parent or foster parent and all such dependents shall be included in such group hospitalization and medical and surgical insurance plan. A person and his dependents electing coverage pursuant to this subsection shall be eligible for such coverage until no longer an adoptive parent or a foster parent. An adoptive parent shall be eligible for such coverage until the coverage anniversary date on or after whichever of the following occurs first, the date on which the child: Becomes covered under a group health plan through the dependent's own employment; or attains the age of twenty-six. As used in this section “dependent” means a spouse or natural or adopted child if such child is wholly or partially dependent for support upon the adoptive parent or foster parent. (g) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the Probate Court Administration Fund established in accordance with section 45a-82 , shall pay for each probate judge and each probate court employee not more than one hundred per cent of the portion of the premium charged for the judge's or employee's individual coverage and not more than seventy per cent of any additional cost for the judge's or employee's form of coverage. The remainder of the premium for such coverage shall be paid by the probate judge or probate court employee to the State Treasurer. Payment shall be credited by the State Treasurer to the fund established by section 45a-82 . The total premiums payable shall be remitted by the Probate Court Administrator directly to the insurance company or companies or nonprofit organization or organizations providing the coverage. The Probate Court Administrator shall issue regulations governing group hospitalization and medical and surgical insurance pursuant to subsection (b) of section 45a-77 . (h) For the purpose of subsection (g) of this section, “probate judge” or “judge” means a duly elected probate judge who works in such judge's capacity as a probate judge at least twenty hours per week, on average, on a quarterly basis and certifies to that fact on forms provided by and filed with the Probate Court Administrator, on or before the fifteenth day of April, July, October and January, for the preceding calendar quarter; and “probate court employee” or “employee” means a person employed by a probate court for at least twenty hours per week. (i) The Comptroller may provide for coverage of employees of municipalities, nonprofit corporations, community action agencies and small employers and individuals eligible for a health coverage tax credit, retired members or members of an association for personal care assistants under the plan or plans procured under subsection (a) of this section, provided: (1) Participation by each municipality, nonprofit corporation, community action agency, small employer, eligible individual, retired member or association for personal care assistants shall be on a voluntary basis; (2) where an employee organization represents employees of a municipality, nonprofit corporation, community action agency or small employer, participation in a plan or plans to be procured under subsection (a) of this section shall be by mutual agreement of the municipality, nonprofit corporation, community action agency or small employer and the employee organization only and neither party may submit the issue of participation to binding arbitration except by mutual agreement if such binding arbitration is available; (3) no group of employees shall be refused entry into the plan by reason of past or future health care costs or claim experience; (4) rates paid by the state for its employees under subsection (a) of this section are not adversely affected by this subsection; (5) administrative costs to the plan or plans provided under this subsection shall not be paid by the state; (6) participation in the plan or plans in an amount determined by the state shall be for the duration of the period of the plan or plans, or for such other period as mutually agreed by the municipality, nonprofit corporation, community action agency, small employer, retired member or association for personal care assistants and the Comptroller; and (7) nothing in this section or section 12-202a , 38a-551 or 38a-556 shall be construed as requiring a participating insurer or health care center to issue individual policies to individuals eligible for a health coverage tax credit. The coverage provided under this section may be referred to as the “Municipal Employee Health Insurance Plan”. The Comptroller may arrange and procure for the employees and eligible individuals under this subsection health benefit plans that vary from the plan or plans procured under subsection (a) of this section. Notwithstanding any provision of part V of chapter 700c, the coverage provided under this subsection may be offered on either a fully underwritten or risk-pooled basis at the discretion of the Comptroller. For the purposes of this subsection, (A) “municipality” means any town, city, borough, school district, taxing district, fire district, district department of health, probate district, housing authority, regional workforce development board established under section 31-3k , regional emergency telecommunications center, tourism district established under section 32-302 , flood commission or authority established by special act, regional council of governments, transit district formed under chapter 103a, or the Children's Center established by number 571 of the public acts of 1969; (B) “nonprofit corporation” means (i) a nonprofit corporation organized under 26 USC 501 that has a contract with the state or receives a portion of its funding from a municipality, the state or the federal government, or (ii) an organization that is tax exempt pursuant to 26 USC 501(c)(5); (C) “community action agency” means a community action agency, as defined in section 17b-885 ; (D) “small employer” means a small employer, as defined in section 38a-564 ; (E) “eligible individuals” or “individuals eligible for a health coverage tax credit” means individuals who are eligible for the credit for health insurance costs under Section 35 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended, in accordance with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; (F) “association for personal care assistants” means an organization composed of personal care attendants who are employed by recipients of service (i) under the home-care program for the elderly under section 17b-342 , (ii) under the personal care assistance program under section 17b-605a , (iii) in an independent living center pursuant to sections 17a-792 to 17a-794 , inclusive, or (iv) under the program for individuals with acquired brain injury as described in section 17b-260a ; and (G) “retired members” means individuals eligible for a retirement benefit from the Connecticut municipal employees' retirement system. (j) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the existing rights and obligations of state employee organizations and the state employer under current law and contract shall not be impaired by the provisions of this section. (2) Other conditions of entry for any group into the plan or plans procured under subsection (a) of this section shall be determined by the Comptroller upon the recommendation of a coalition committee established pursuant to subsection (f) of section 5-278 , except for such conditions referenced in subsection (g) of this section. (3) Additional determinations by the Comptroller on (A) issues generated by any group's actual or contemplated participation in the plan or plans, (B) modifications to the terms and conditions of any group's continued participation, (C) related matters shall be made upon the recommendation of such committee. (4) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a municipal employer and an employee organization may upon mutual agreement reopen a collective bargaining agreement for the exclusive purpose of negotiating on the participation by such municipal employer or employee organization in the plan or plans offered under the provisions of this section. (k) The Comptroller shall submit annually to the General Assembly a review of the coverage of employees of municipalities, nonprofit corporations, community action agencies, small employers under subsection (i) of this section and eligible individuals under subsection (i) of this section beginning February 1, 2004. (l) (1) Effective July 1, 1996, any deputies or special deputies appointed pursuant to section 6-37 of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to 1999, or section 6-43 , shall be allowed to participate in the plan or plans procured by the Comptroller pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. Such participation shall be voluntary and the participant shall pay the full cost of the coverage under such plan. (2) Effective December 1, 2000, any state marshal shall be allowed to participate in the plan or plans procured by the Comptroller pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. Such participation shall be voluntary and the participant shall pay the full cost of the coverage under such plan. (3) Effective December 1, 2000, any judicial marshal shall be allowed to participate in the plan or plans procured by the Comptroller pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. Such participation shall be voluntary and the participant shall pay the full cost of the coverage under such plan unless and until the judicial marshals participate in the plan or plans procured by the Comptroller under this section through collective bargaining negotiations pursuant to subsection (f) of section 5-278 . (m) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, the Comptroller shall begin procedures to convert the group hospitalization and medical and surgical insurance plans set forth in subsection (a) of this section, including any prescription drug plan offered in connection with or in addition to such insurance plans, to self-insured plans, except that any dental plan offered in connection with or in addition to such self-insured plans may be fully insured. (2) The Comptroller may enter into contracts with third-party administrators to provide administrative services only for the self-insured plans set forth in subdivision (1) of this subsection. Any such third-party administrator shall be required under such contract to charge such third-party administrator's lowest available rate for such services. (3) (A) (i) The Comptroller shall offer nonstate public employers the option to purchase prescription drugs for their employees, employees' dependents and retirees under the purchasing authority of the state pursuant to section 1 of public act 09-206*, subject to the provisions of subparagraph (E) of this subdivision. (ii) For purposes of this subdivision, “nonstate public employer” means (I) a municipality or other political subdivision of the state, including a board of education, quasi-public agency or public library, as defined in section 11-24a , or (II) the Teachers' Retirement Board. (B) The Comptroller shall establish procedures to determine (i) the eligibility requirements for, (ii) the enrollment procedures for, (iii) the duration of, (iv) requirements regarding payment for, and (v) the procedures for withdrawal from and termination of, the purchasing of prescription drugs for nonstate public employers under subparagraph (A) of this subdivision. (C) The Comptroller may offer to nonstate public employers that choose to purchase prescription drugs pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this subdivision the option to purchase stop loss coverage from an insurer at a rate negotiated by the Comptroller. (D) Two or more nonstate public employers may join together for the purpose of purchasing prescription drugs for their employees, employees' dependents and retirees. Such arrangement shall not constitute a multiple employer welfare arrangement, as defined in Section 3 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time. (E) (i) The Comptroller shall offer nonstate public employers the option to purchase prescription drugs through the plan set forth in the State Employees' Bargaining Agent Coalition's collective bargaining agreement with the state only if the Health Care Cost Containment Committee, established in accordance with the ratified agreement between the state and said coalition pursuant to subsection (f) of section 5-278 , has indicated in writing to the Comptroller that allowing such nonstate public employers such option is consistent with said coalition's collective bargaining agreement. (ii) Such writing shall not be required if the Comptroller establishes a separate prescription drugs purchasing plan for nonstate public employers. (iii) Nonstate public employers that purchase prescription drugs pursuant to this subdivision shall pay the full cost of their own claims and prescription drugs. *Note: Section 1 of public act 09-206 is special in nature and therefore has not been codified but remains in full force and effect according to its terms. See Secs. 3-123aaa to 3-123hhh, inclusive, re partnership plan administered by Comptroller. See Sec. 38a-476b re coverage for psychotropic drugs. See Sec. 38a-564 re exclusion of municipalities from definition of “small employer”.

Legislative History

(1967, P.A. 657, S. 66; 1969, P.A. 641, S. 1; 805, S. 1, 2; 1972, P.A. 161, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-614, S. 163, 610; P.A. 78-163, S. 1, 2; 78-228, S. 4, 8; P.A. 79-555, S. 1, 3; P.A. 82-388, S. 2; P.A. 83-437; 83-533, S. 41, 54; P.A. 84-544, S. 5, 8; P.A. 85-510, S. 16, 35; P.A. 86-366, S. 1; P.A. 87-370, S. 1, 2; P.A. 88-164, S. 1, 2; P.A. 89-323, S. 2, 4; P.A. 90-109; 90-308, S. 6, 15; P.A. 91-66; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-429, S. 6, 7.; P.A. 94-216, S. 3, 4; P.A. 96-110, S. 1, 4; 96-234, S. 1, 2; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 137, 165; P.A. 98-263, S. 10, 21; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 2, 121; P.A. 99-124, S. 2–4; 99-240, S. 25; 99-241, S. 52, 66; P.A. 00-99, S. 133, 154; 00-112, S. 2, 5; 00-187, S. 71, 75; 00-197; P.A. 01-30, S. 1, 4; 01-195, S. 6, 181; P.A. 02-140, S. 7; P.A. 03-149, S. 1; 03-181, S. 1; 03-254, S. 2; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3, S. 31; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 63, 64; P.A. 04-53, S. 1; P.A. 05-6, S. 1; 05-238, S. 1; 05-256, S. 1; P.A. 07-73, S. 2(a); 07-184, S. 18; P.A. 08-7, S. 9; P.A. 09-114, S. 7; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7, S. 18; P.A. 10-32, S. 155; 10-34, S. 4, 5; 10-131, S. 1; P.A. 11-44, S. 32; 11-58, S. 39, 40; P.A. 12-147, S. 6; 12-197, S. 49; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1, S. 35; P.A. 13-40, S. 13; 13-247, S. 265, 266; P.A. 15-247, S. 25; P.A. 16-118, S. 6; P.A. 17-15, S. 1; P.A. 19-125, S. 9; 19-157, S. 13; P.A. 21-40, S. 1, 2; P.A. 23-204, S. 57.) History: 1969 acts added to payment by state for each employee “one-half of the additional cost of his form of coverage”, previously employee paid total cost of additional coverage and provided for group of employees to seek alternate coverage similarly paid by state in Subsecs. (a) and (c); 1972 act repealed amendments enacted by 1969 act and all of Subsec. (c), leaving state as sole agent for its employees' insurance; P.A. 77-614 made insurance department a division within the department of business regulation with insurance commissioner as its head, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 78-163 allowed general assembly members to elect coverage under state plan with payment made by member to comptroller; P.A. 78-228 allowed retired state employees to elect coverage with 10% paid by state and payment as a whole by deduction from benefits check; P.A. 79-555 included in provisions for retirees anyone receiving benefits and included assembly members under provisions for state employees; P.A. 82-388 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that the dollar amount paid by the state for an employee's health maintenance organization option shall equal the largest amount paid per employee for any other health insurance option which is available to all state employees, provided such amount does not exceed the health maintenance organization premium; P.A. 83-437 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) to replace references to “state employees retirement system” with “any state-sponsored retirement system, except the municipal employees retirement system, the general assembly pension system and the probate judges and employees retirement system”; P.A. 83-533 changed state's payment from 50% to 70% of cost of additional coverage for employees and from 10% to 30% of cost of coverage for retirees; P.A. 84-544 amended Subsec. (a) to include certain participants in an alternate retirement program and to exclude persons receiving benefits from the teachers' retirement system; P.A. 85-510 amended Subsec. (a) to increase the state payment for premiums for anyone receiving benefits from state-sponsored retirement systems from 30% to 45% of such premiums, on and after January 1, 1984; P.A. 86-366 amended Subsec. (a) to increase, from 45% to 60%, the portion of health insurance premium costs paid by the state for retired state employees and their dependents, such increase to begin October 1, 1986; P.A. 87-370 amended Subsec. (a) to increase, from 60% to 80%, the portion of health insurance premium costs paid by the state for retired state employees and their dependents; P.A. 88-164 amended Subsec. (a) to increase the state payment for premiums for persons receiving benefits from certain state-sponsored retirement systems from 80% to 100% of such premiums, on and after January 1, 1989; P.A. 89-323 added Subsec. (d) re state's payment of 80% of health insurance premiums on behalf of members who begin receiving benefits on or after November 1, 1989; P.A. 90-109 added Subsec. (e) re eligibility of vending stand operators and blind persons employed in workshops for insurance coverage; P.A. 90-308 amended Subsec. (a) to delete provision which excluded persons receiving benefits from the general assembly pension system from eligibility for insurance coverage under plan or plans procured by comptroller; P.A. 91-66 added Subsec. (f) re eligibility of foster parents and parents in permanent family residences for insurance coverage; P.A. 93-91 substituted commissioner and department of children and families for commissioner and department of children and youth services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-429 inserted new Subsec. (a)(3) to require the comptroller to procure health insurance coverage for employees of the Connecticut Institute for Municipal Studies, redesignated existing Subdivs. (3) and (4) as (4) and (5), respectively, and amended Subsec. (b) to apply to employees of the Institute, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-216 included dependents of foster parents or parents in a permanent family residence in the group hospitalization and medical and surgical insurance plan, required premiums to be paid directly to the insurer provided the parents and dependents shall be included in such plans and added definition of “dependent”, effective June 7, 1994; P.A. 96-110 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting the exception re the probate judges and employees retirement system and adding Subdiv. (6) re judges of probate and probate court employees and added Subsec. (g) re payment of premium by Probate Court Administration Fund and remainder by probate judge or employee, with total premiums remitted by Probate Court Administrator directly to insurance company and requiring Probate Court Administrator to establish regulations and added Subsec. (h) defining “probate court employee”, effective January 1, 1997; P.A. 96-234 added Subsecs. (g) to (j), inclusive, codified as Subsecs. (i) to (l), inclusive, to permit the Comptroller to provide for coverage of municipal employees under the plan or plans procured under Subsec. (a) of the section, effective July 1, 1996 (Revisor's note: In codifying new Subsec. (j) the Revisors editorially changed the Subpara. indicators in Subdiv. (3) from “(i)”, “(ii)” and “(iii)” to “(A)”, “(B)” and “(C)” for consistency with customary statutory usage); June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 amended Subsec. (e) by providing that the cost of insurance coverage of a blind person employed in a workshop shall be paid by the Board of Education and Services for the Blind and not from such person's earnings, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-263 amended Subsec. (a)(5) to include anyone receiving benefits under Sec. 5-144, effective July 1, 1998, and applicable to any death occurring on or after January 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1 made a technical change in Subsec. (h), effective June 24, 1998; P.A. 99-124 amended Subsec. (i) to redefine “municipality” and added new Subsec. (m) to allow the Comptroller to provide for coverage of employees of community action agencies under the plan or plans procured under Subsec. (a) of the section, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 99-240 added Subsec. (a)(7) providing coverage for the spouse and dependent children of a local police officer or constable who dies in the line of duty; P.A. 99-241 amended Subsec. (a) to add a new Subdiv., designated as Subdiv. (8) by the Revisors, adding employees of the Capital City Economic Development Authority, effective June 28, 1999, and applicable to calendar years commencing on or after January 1, 1999; P.A. 00-99 amended Subsec. (l) by designating existing provisions as Subdiv. (1) and adding Subdivs. (2) and (3) re participation of state marshals and judicial marshals, effective December 1, 2000; P.A. 00-112 amended Subsec. (a) to make technical changes, effective May 26, 2000; P.A. 00-187 amended Subsec. (i) to add the Children's Center, effective July 1, 2000 (Revisor's note: A reference to the “Children's Center established by public act 69-571” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Children's Center established by number 571 of the public acts of 1969”, for accuracy of reference, since the use of the year number prefix in the numbering of public and special acts was not adopted until 1973); P.A. 00-197 added Subsec. (a)(9) re the surviving spouse and dependent children of a municipal employee; P.A. 01-30 amended Subsec. (i) to include coverage for employees of nonprofit corporations and define “nonprofit corporations”, and to allow the Comptroller to offer alternate plans to municipal and nonprofit employees, effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 01-195 amended Subsec. (l)(1) by adding specific general statute revision reference for the appointment of deputies or special deputies, effective July 11, 2001; P.A. 02-140 deleted Subsec. (a)(3) re the Connecticut Institute for Municipal Studies and redesignated existing Subdivs. (4) to (9) as Subdivs. (3) to (8), effective July 1, 2002; P.A. 03-149 amended Subsec. (i) to provide that the Comptroller may provide coverage for employees of community action agencies and small employers, make conforming changes, add “if such binding arbitration is available” in Subdiv. (2), delete reference to approval of the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management re plans that vary from those procured under Subsec. (a), rewrite provisions re plans being offered on a fully underwritten basis or a risk-pooled basis, provide that coverage offered to small employers be fully underwritten in accordance with part V of chapter 700c, and add Subparas. (C) and (D) defining “community action agency” and “small employer”, amended Subsec. (k) to require review to cover municipalities, nonprofit corporations, community action agencies and small employers beginning February 1, 2004, deleted Subsec. (m) re coverage of community action agencies, and made technical changes, effective June 26, 2003; P.A. 03-181 amended Subsec. (a) to eliminate provision re termination of coverage for surviving spouses and dependent children upon remarriage of the surviving spouse, add coverage for surviving spouses of state police officers and firefighters and add provision re surviving spouse and dependent children not otherwise eligible for group plan in Subdiv. (6), define “firefighter” for purposes of Subdiv. (6) and make technical changes, effective June 26, 2003; P.A. 03-254 amended Subsec. (i) by redefining “municipality” to include regional emergency telecommunications centers and tourism districts; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3 amended Subsec. (i) by adding provisions re coverage for members of an association for personal care assistants and adding definition of such association, effective August 20, 2003; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 amended Subsec. (i) by adding provisions re coverage for individuals eligible for a health coverage tax credit, adding Subdiv. (7) re issuance of individual policies to health coverage tax credit eligible persons not construed as required and adding Subpara. (E) defining “individuals eligible for a health coverage tax credit”, and amended Subsec. (k) to add provision re eligible individuals under Subsec. (i), effective August 20, 2003; P.A. 04-53 amended Subsec. (f) to extend coverage to parents who adopt a child from the state foster care system and to make conforming and technical changes; P.A. 05-6 amended Subsec. (e) to make a technical change and specify that blind persons employed in workshops “on December 31, 2002,” are eligible for group hospitalization and medical and surgical plans procured under this section, effective April 6, 2005; P.A. 05-238 amended Subsec. (i) to add and define “retired members”, amend Subdiv. (7) to substitute specific statutory references for “public act 03-6 of the June 30 special session”, provide that the coverage under the section may be referred to as the “Municipal Employee Health Insurance Plan”, substitute “part V of chapter 700c” for “law”, delete requirement that coverage for small employers be fully underwritten, redefine “nonprofit corporation”, “small employer” and “individuals eligible for a health coverage tax credit”, add “or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended” re the Internal Revenue Code, and make technical changes, effective July 8, 2005; P.A. 05-256 amended Subsec. (e) to provide that general workers employed by Department of Mental Retardation shall be eligible for specified leave and holidays, effective June 30, 2005; pursuant to P.A. 07-73 “Department of Mental Retardation” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Department of Developmental Services”, effective October 1, 2007; P.A. 07-184 amended Subsec. (g) to substitute “issue regulations” for “establish regulations”, “pursuant to” for “in accordance with” and “his or her” for “his”, effective July 1, 2007; P.A. 08-7 amended Subsec. (e) by changing 10 to 11 re number of general workers employed as self-advocates who are eligible for sick leave, vacation, personal leave and holidays, effective April 29, 2008; P.A. 09-114 defined “probate judge” and redefined “probate court employee” in Subsec. (h) and made technical changes in Subsec. (g), effective January 5, 2011; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7 added Subsec. (m) requiring Comptroller to convert certain plans to self-insured plans for benefit periods beginning on or after July 1, 2010, effective October 5, 2009; P.A. 10-32 made a technical change in Subsec. (l)(3), effective May 10, 2010; P.A. 10-34 made a technical change in Subsec. (g); P.A. 10-131 added Subsec. (m)(3) re prescription drug purchasing by nonstate public employers, effective June 7, 2010; P.A. 11-44 amended Subsec. (e) by replacing “Board of Education and Services for the Blind” with “Bureau of Rehabilitative Services” and making a technical change, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-58 amended Subsecs. (a) and (f) to add provision re termination of coverage for children, effective July 2, 2011; P.A. 12-147 replaced “Capital City Economic Development Authority” with “Capital Region Development Authority” in Subsec. (a)(7), effective June 15, 2012; P.A. 12-197 amended Subsec. (e) by deleting provision re general workers employed by Department of Developmental Services, effective June 15, 2012; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1 amended Subsec. (e) by replacing “Bureau of Rehabilitative Services” with “Department of Rehabilitation Services”, effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 13-40 amended Subsec. (f) by deleting references to a parent in a permanent family residence and making technical changes; P.A. 13-247 amended Subsecs. (a) and (i) by substituting “council of governments” for “planning agency”, effective January 1, 2015; P.A. 15-247 amended Subsec. (i) by deleting reference to Sec. 38a-553 in Subdiv. (7), making a technical change in Subpara. (D), and deleting reference to Trade Adjustment Assistance programs in Subpara. (E), effective July 10, 2015; P.A. 16-118 amended Subsec. (e) to delete former Subdiv. (2) re insurance coverage for blind persons employed in workshops and make a conforming change; P.A. 17-15 made a technical change in Subsec. (e); P.A. 19-125 amended Subsec. (a)(6) by replacing “policy anniversary date on or after” with “end of the calendar year during” re termination of coverage for dependent child, effective July 1, 2019; P.A. 19-157 amended Subsec. (e) by replacing “Department of Rehabilitation Services” with “Department of Aging and Disability Services”; P.A. 21-40 made a technical change in Subsecs. (a) and (i); P.A. 23-204 amended Subsec. (g) by replacing “not more than fifty per cent” with “not more than seventy per cent” re payment from the Probate Court Administration Fund for any additional cost for judge's or employee's form of coverage, effective July 1, 2023. Cited. 213 C. 54. Plaintiff's claim that the state acted in excess of statutory authority when it received and retained proceeds from demutualization of insurance company that provided health benefits to state employees under section because state was not entitled to the proceeds under the plan of conversion does not fall within the “excess of statutory authority” exception to the doctrine of sovereign immunity; claim that section was violated is meritless, because statutory language does not imply that the legislature had a specific intent that the proceeds from demutualization would be distributed to individual employees. 296 C. 186.