(b) No policy of group accident and health insurance under which
employees of a municipality are insured for their individual benefit shall
be issued or delivered in this State to a municipality unless such group
policy provides for the election of continued group insurance coverage for
the retirement or disability period of each employee who is insured under
the provisions of the group policy on the day immediately preceding the day
on which the retirement or disability period of such employee begins. So
long as any required premiums for continued group insurance coverage are
paid in accordance with the provisions of the group policy, an election
made pursuant to this Section shall provide continued group insurance
coverage for an employee throughout the retirement or disability period of
the employee and, unless the employee otherwise elects and subject to any
other provisions of the group policy which relate either to the provision
or to the termination of dependents' coverage and which are not
inconsistent with this Section, for any dependents of the employee who are
insured under the group policy on the day immediately preceding the day on
which the retirement or disability period of the employee begins; provided,
however, that when such continued group insurance coverage is in effect
with respect to an employee on the date of the employee's death but the
retirement or disability period of the employee does not end with the
employee's death, then the deceased employee's surviving spouse upon whose
death or remarriage such retirement or disability period will end shall be
entitled, without further election and upon payment of any required
premiums in accordance with the provisions of the group policy, to maintain
such continued group insurance coverage in effect until the end of the
retirement or disability period. Continued group insurance coverage shall
be provided in accordance with this Section at the same premium rate from
time to time charged for equivalent coverage provided under the group
policy with respect to covered employees whose retirement or disability
period has not begun, and no distinction or discrimination in the amount or
rate of premiums or in any waiver of premium or other benefit provision
shall be made between continued group insurance coverage elected pursuant
to this Section and equivalent coverage provided to employees under the
group policy other than pursuant to the provisions of this Section;
provided that no municipality shall be required by reason of any provision
of this Section to pay any group insurance premium other than one that may
be negotiated in a collective bargaining agreement. If the group policy
provides for a reduction in benefits and premium for insureds who become
eligible for medicare, such provision shall apply to persons electing
continued coverage under this Section.
Within 15 days of the beginning of the retirement or disability period of
any employee entitled to elect continued group insurance coverage under any
group policy affected by this Section, the municipality last employing such
employee shall give written notice of such beginning by certified mail,
return receipt requested, to the insurance company issuing such policy.
The notice shall include the employee's name and last known place of
residence and the beginning date of the employee's retirement or disability
period.
Within 15 days of the date of receipt of such notice from the municipality,
the insurance company by certified mail, return receipt requested, shall
give written notice to the employee at the employee's last known place of
residence that coverage under the group policy may be continued for the
retirement or disability period of the employee as provided in this
Section. Such notice shall set forth: (i) a statement of election to be
filed by the employee if the employee wishes to continue such group
insurance coverage, (ii) the amount of monthly premium, including a
statement of the portion of such monthly premium attributable to any
dependents' coverage which the employee may elect, and (iii) instructions
as to the return of the election form to the insurance company issuing such
policy. Election shall be made, if at all, by returning the statement of
election to the insurance company by certified mail, return receipt
requested, within 15 days after having received it.
If the employee elects to continue coverage, it shall be the obligation
of the employee to pay the monthly premium directly to the municipality
which shall forward it to the insurance company issuing the group insurance
policy, or as otherwise directed by the insurance company; provided,
however, that the employee shall be entitled to designate on the statement
of election required to be filed with the insurance company that the total
monthly premium, or such portion thereof as is not contributed by a
municipality, be deducted by the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund from
the monthly pension payment otherwise payable to or on behalf of the
employee pursuant to Article 7 of the Illinois Pension Code, and be
remitted by such Fund to the insurance company. The portion, if any, of
the monthly premium contributed by a municipality for such continued group
insurance coverage shall be paid by the municipality directly to the
insurance company issuing the group insurance policy, or as directed by the
insurance company. Such continued group insurance coverage shall relate
back to the beginning of the employee's retirement or disability period.
The amendment, renewal or extension of any group insurance policy affected
by this Section shall be deemed to be the issuance of a new policy of insurance
for purposes of this Section.
(c) In the event that a municipality makes a program of accident,
health, hospital or medical benefits available to its employees through
self-insurance, or by participation in a pool or reciprocal insurer, or by
contract in a form other than a policy of group insurance with one or more
medical service plans, health care service corporations, health maintenance
organizations, or any other professional corporations or plans under which
health care or reimbursement for the costs thereof is provided, whether the
cost of such benefits is borne by the municipality or the employees or
both, such employees and their surviving spouses shall have the same
right to elect continued coverage under such program of benefits
as they would have if such benefits were provided by a policy of group
accident and health insurance. In such cases, the notice of right to elect
continued coverage shall be sent by the municipality; the statement of
election shall be sent to the municipality; and references to the required
premium shall refer to that portion of the cost of such benefits which is not
borne by the municipality, either voluntarily or pursuant to the provisions
of a collective bargaining agreement. In the case of a municipality
providing such benefits through self-insurance or participation in a pool or
reciprocal insurer, the right to elect continued coverage which is provided
by this paragraph shall be implemented and made available to the employees
of the municipality and qualifying surviving spouses not later than July 1,
1991.
The amendment, renewal or extension of any such contract in a form other
than a policy of group insurance policy shall be deemed the formation of a
new contract for the purposes of this Section.
(d) This Section shall not limit the exercise of any conversion
privileges available under Section 367e.
(Source: P.A. 86-1444; 87-435.)
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