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90_HB1421eng 55 ILCS 5/5-1069.7 new 65 ILCS 5/10-4-2.7 new 215 ILCS 5/367f from Ch. 73, par. 979f 215 ILCS 5/367g from Ch. 73, par. 979g 215 ILCS 5/367h from Ch. 73, par. 979h 30 ILCS 805/8.21 new Amends the Counties Code, Illinois Municipal Code, and Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a municipality or county must pay the full amount of the cost of health care benefits or insurance on behalf of surviving spouses and dependents of firefighters, police officers, and deputies whose death results from the performance of a duty. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement with respect to the continuation of insurance benefits. Effective immediately. LRB9004056JSgc HB1421 Engrossed LRB9004056JSgc 1 AN ACT concerning insurance benefits for certain 2 firefighters and police officers. 3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 4 represented in the General Assembly: 5 Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by adding 6 Section 5-1069.7 as follows: 7 (55 ILCS 5/5-1069.7 new) 8 Sec. 5-1069.7. Health benefit continuation; death of 9 deputy as a result of the performance of a duty. 10 (a) A county that provides health care benefits or 11 insurance for deputies in accordance with Section 367h of the 12 Illinois Insurance Code must pay the full amount of the 13 charges for those benefits for the surviving spouse and 14 dependent children of deputies whose death is a result of a 15 performance of a duty. 16 (b) The requirement that a county pay for the benefits 17 subject to subsection (a) for a surviving spouse shall 18 terminate upon the earliest to happen of the following: 19 (1) the date on which the surviving spouse first 20 becomes an insured employee under any other group health 21 plan; 22 (2) the date on which the surviving spouse 23 remarries; or 24 (3) the date the surviving spouse reaches the 25 qualifying age or otherwise establishes eligibility under 26 the Medicare Program pursuant to Title XVIII of the 27 federal Social Security Act. 28 (c) This Section is a denial and limitation of home rule 29 powers and functions under subsection (h) of Section 6 of 30 Article VII of the Illinois Constitution. HB1421 Engrossed -2- LRB9004056JSgc 1 Section 10. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by 2 adding Section 10-4-2.7 as follows: 3 (65 ILCS 5/10-4-2.7 new) 4 Sec. 10-4-2.7. Health benefit continuation; death of 5 police officer, firefighter, or deputy as a result of the 6 performance of a duty. 7 (a) A municipality that provides health care benefits or 8 insurance for police officers, firefighters, or deputies in 9 accordance with Section 367f, 367g, or 367h of the Illinois 10 Insurance Code must pay the full amount of the charges for 11 those benefits for the surviving spouse and dependent 12 children of police officers, firefighters, and deputies whose 13 death is a result of a performance of a duty. 14 (b) The requirement that a municipality pay for the 15 benefits subject to subsection (a) for a surviving spouse 16 shall terminate upon the earliest to happen of the following: 17 (1) the date on which the surviving spouse first 18 becomes an insured employee under any other group health 19 plan; 20 (2) the date on which the surviving spouse 21 remarries; or 22 (3) the date the surviving spouse reaches the 23 qualifying age or otherwise establishes eligibility under 24 the Medicare Program pursuant to Title XVIII of the 25 federal Social Security Act. 26 (c) This Section is a denial and limitation of home rule 27 powers and functions under subsection (h) of Section 6 of 28 Article VII of the Illinois Constitution. 29 Section 15. The Illinois Insurance Code is amended by 30 changing Sections 367f, 367g, and 367h as follows: 31 (215 ILCS 5/367f) (from Ch. 73, par. 979f) HB1421 Engrossed -3- LRB9004056JSgc 1 Sec. 367f. Firemen's continuance privilege. As used in 2 this Section: 3 1. The terms "municipality", "deferred pensioner" and 4 "creditable service" shall have the meaning ascribed to such 5 terms by Sections 4-103, 4-105a and 4-108, respectively, of 6 the Illinois Pension Code, as now or hereafter amended. 7 2. The terms "fireman" and "firemen" shall have the 8 meaning ascribed to the term "firefighter" by Section 4-106 9 of the Illinois Pension Code, and include those persons under 10 the coverage of Article 4 of that Code, as heretofore or 11 hereafter amended. 12 3. The "retirement or disability period" of a fireman 13 means the period: 14 a. which begins on the day the fireman is removed 15 from a municipality's fire department payroll because of 16 the occurrence of any of the following events, to wit: 17 (i) the fireman retires as a deferred pensioner under 18 Section 4-105a of the Illinois Pension Code, (ii) the 19 fireman retires from active service as a fireman with an 20 attained age and accumulated creditable service which 21 together qualify the fireman for immediate receipt of 22 retirement pension benefits under Section 4-109 of the 23 Illinois Pension Code,or(iii) the fireman's disability 24 is established under Section 4-112 of the Illinois 25 Pension Code, or (iv) the death of the fireman as a 26 result of performance of duty; and 27 b. which ends on the first to occur of any of the 28 following events, to wit: (i) the fireman's 29 reinstatement or reentry into active service on the 30 municipality's fire department as provided for under 31 Article 4 of the Illinois Pension Code, (ii) the 32 fireman's exercise of any refund option available under 33 Section 4-116 of the Illinois Pension Code, (iii) the 34 fireman's loss pursuant to Section 4-138 of the Illinois HB1421 Engrossed -4- LRB9004056JSgc 1 Pension Code of any benefits provided for in Article 4 of 2 that Code,or(iv) the fireman's death or -- if at the 3 time of the fireman's death the fireman is survived by a 4 spouse who, in that capacity, is entitled to receive a 5 surviving spouse's monthly pension pursuant to Article 4 6 of the Illinois Pension Code -- then the death or 7 remarriage of that spouse, or (v) if the death of the 8 fireman resulted from the performance of a duty and the 9 fireman is survived by a spouse or dependent child 10 eligible to receive benefits under Section 4-110 of the 11 Illinois Pension Code (whether or not those benefits are 12 subject to reduction), the cessation of eligibility for 13 those benefits. 14 No policy of group accident and health insurance under 15 which firemen employed by a municipality are insured for 16 their individual benefit shall be issued or delivered in this 17 State to any municipality unless such group policy provides 18 for the election of continued group insurance coverage for 19 the retirement or disability period of each fireman who is 20 insured under the provisions of the group policy on the day 21 immediately preceding the day on which the retirement or 22 disability period of such fireman begins. So long as any 23 required premiums for continued group insurance coverage are 24 paid in accordance with the provisions of the group policy, 25 an election made pursuant to this Section shall provide 26 continued group insurance coverage for a fireman throughout 27 the retirement or disability period of the fireman and, 28 unless the fireman otherwise elects and subject to any other 29 provisions of the group policy which relate either to the 30 provision or to the termination of dependents' coverage and 31 which are not inconsistent with this Section, for any 32 dependents of the fireman who are insured under the group 33 policy on the day immediately preceding the day on which the 34 retirement or disability period of the fireman begins; HB1421 Engrossed -5- LRB9004056JSgc 1 provided, however, that when such continued group insurance 2 coverage is in effect with respect to a fireman on the date 3 of the fireman's death but the retirement or disability 4 period of the fireman does not end with such fireman's death, 5 then the deceased fireman's surviving spouse upon whose death 6 or remarriage such retirement or disability period will end 7 shall be entitled, without further election and upon payment 8 of any required premiums in accordance with the provisions of 9 the group policy, to maintain such continued group insurance 10 coverage in effect until the end of such retirement or 11 disability period. Continued group insurance coverage shall 12 be provided in accordance with this Section at the same 13 premium rate from time to time charged for equivalent 14 coverage provided under the group policy with respect to 15 covered firemen whose retirement or disability period has not 16 begun, and no distinction or discrimination in the amount or 17 rate of premiums or in any waiver of premium or other benefit 18 provision shall be made between continued group insurance 19 coverage elected pursuant to this Section and equivalent 20 coverage provided to firemen under the group policy other 21 than pursuant to the provisions of this Section; provided 22 that no municipality shall be required by reason of any 23 provision of this Section to pay any group insurance premium 24 other than one that may be negotiated in a collective 25 bargaining agreement. If a person electing continued coverage 26 under this Section becomes eligible for medicare coverage, 27 benefits under the group policy may continue as a supplement 28 to the medicare coverage upon payment of any required 29 premiums to maintain the benefits of the group policy as 30 supplemental coverage. 31 Within 15 days of the beginning of the retirement or 32 disability period of any fireman entitled to elect continued 33 group insurance coverage under any group policy affected by 34 this Section or, with respect to an individual whose HB1421 Engrossed -6- LRB9004056JSgc 1 eligibility is dependent upon this amendatory Act of 1997, 2 within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory 3 Act of 1997, whichever is later, the municipality last 4 employing such fireman shall give written notice of such 5 beginning by certified mail, return receipt requested to the 6 insurance company issuing such policy. The notice shall 7 include the fireman's name and last known place of residence 8 and the beginning date of the fireman's retirement or 9 disability period. 10 Within 15 days of the date of receipt of such notice from 11 the municipality, the insurance company by certified mail, 12 return receipt requested, shall give written notice to the 13 fireman at the fireman's last known place of residence that 14 coverage under the group policy may be continued for the 15 retirement or disability period of the fireman as provided in 16 this Section. Such notice shall set forth: (i) a statement 17 of election to be filed by the fireman if the fireman wishes 18 to continue such group insurance coverage, (ii) the amount of 19 monthly premium, including a statement of the portion of such 20 monthly premium attributable to any dependents' coverage 21 which the fireman may elect, and (iii) instructions as to the 22 return of the election form to the insurance company issuing 23 such policy. Election shall be made, if at all, by returning 24 the statement of election to the insurance company by 25 certified mail, return receipt requested within 15 days after 26 having received it. 27 If the fireman elects to continue coverage, it shall be 28 the obligation of the fireman to pay the monthly premium 29 directly to the municipality which shall forward it to the 30 insurance company issuing the group insurance policy, or as 31 otherwise directed by the insurance company; provided, 32 however, that the fireman shall be entitled to designate on 33 the statement of election required to be filed with the 34 insurance company that the total monthly premium, or such HB1421 Engrossed -7- LRB9004056JSgc 1 portion thereof as is not contributed by a municipality, be 2 deducted by a Firefighter's Pension Fund from any monthly 3 pension payment otherwise payable to or on behalf of the 4 fireman pursuant to Article 4 of the Illinois Pension Code, 5 and be remitted by such Pension Fund to the insurance 6 company. The portion, if any, of the monthly premium 7 contributed by a municipality for such continued group 8 insurance coverage shall be paid by the municipality directly 9 to the insurance company issuing the group insurance policy, 10 or as otherwise directed by the insurance company. Such 11 continued group insurance coverage shall relate back to the 12 beginning of the fireman's retirement or disability period. 13 The amendment, renewal or extension of any group 14 insurance policy affected by this Section shall be deemed to 15 be the issuance of a new policy of insurance for purposes of 16 this Section. 17 In the event that a municipality makes a program of 18 accident, health, hospital or medical benefits available to 19 its firemen through self-insurance, or by participation in a 20 pool or reciprocal insurer, or by contract in a form other 21 than a policy of group insurance with one or more medical 22 service plans, health care service corporations, health 23 maintenance organizations, or any other professional 24 corporations or plans under which health care or 25 reimbursement for the costs thereof is provided, whether the 26 cost of such benefits is borne by the municipality or the 27 firemen or both, such firemen and their surviving spouses 28 shall have the same right to elect continued coverage under 29 such program of benefits as they would have if such benefits 30 were provided by a policy of group accident and health 31 insurance. In such cases, the notice of right to elect 32 continued coverage shall be sent by the municipality; the 33 statement of election shall be sent to the municipality; and 34 references to the required premium shall refer to that HB1421 Engrossed -8- LRB9004056JSgc 1 portion of the cost of such benefits which is not borne by 2 the municipality, either voluntarily or pursuant to the 3 provisions of a collective bargaining agreement. In the case 4 of a municipality providing such benefits through 5 self-insurance or participation in a pool or reciprocal 6 insurer, the right to elect continued coverage which is 7 provided by this paragraph shall be implemented and made 8 available to the firemen of the municipality and qualifying 9 surviving spouses not later than July 1, 1985. 10 The amendment, renewal or extension of any such contract 11 in a form other than a policy of group insurance policy shall 12 be deemed the formation of a new contract for the purposes of 13 this Section. 14 This Section shall not limit the exercise of any 15 conversion privileges available under Section 367e. 16 Pursuant to paragraphs (h) and (i) of Section 6 of 17 Article VII of the Illinois Constitution, this Section 18 specifically denies and limits the exercise by a home rule 19 unit of any power which is inconsistent with this Section and 20 all existing laws and ordinances which are inconsistent with 21 this Section are hereby superseded. This Section does not 22 preempt the concurrent exercise by home rule units of powers 23 consistent herewith. 24 (Source: P.A. 86-1444.) 25 (215 ILCS 5/367g) (from Ch. 73, par. 979g) 26 Sec. 367g. Police officer's continuance privilege. As 27 used in this Section: 28 1. The terms "municipality" and "creditable service" 29 shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms by Sections 30 3-103 and 3-110, respectively, of the Illinois Pension Code, 31 as now or hereafter amended. 32 The term "deferred pensioner" means a police officer who 33 has retired, having accumulated enough creditable service to HB1421 Engrossed -9- LRB9004056JSgc 1 qualify for a pension, but who has not attained the required 2 age. 3 2. The term "police officer" shall have the meaning 4 ascribed to it by Section 3-106 of the Illinois Pension Code, 5 and include those persons under the coverage of Article 3 of 6 that Code, as heretofore or hereafter amended. 7 3. The "retirement or disability period" of a police 8 officer means the period: 9 a. which begins on the day the police officer is removed 10 from a municipality's police department payroll because of 11 the occurrence of any of the following events, to wit: (i) 12 the police officer retires as a deferred pensioner, (ii) the 13 police officer retires from active service as a police 14 officer with an attained age and accumulated creditable 15 service which together qualify the police officer for 16 immediate receipt of retirement pension benefits under 17 Section 3-111 of the Illinois Pension Code,or(iii) the 18 police officer's disability is established under Section 19 3-115 of the Illinois Pension Code, or (iv) the death of the 20 police officer as a result of the performance of duty; and 21 b. which ends on the first to occur of any of the 22 following events, to wit: (i) the police officer's 23 reinstatement or reentry into active service on the 24 municipality's police department as provided for under 25 Article 3 of the Illinois Pension Code, (ii) the police 26 officer's exercise of any refund option available under 27 Section 3-124 of the Illinois Pension Code, (iii) the police 28 officer's loss pursuant to Section 3-147 of the Illinois 29 Pension Code of any benefits provided for in Article 3 of 30 that Code,or(iv) the police officer's death or -- if at the 31 time of the police officer's death the police officer is 32 survived by a spouse who, in that capacity, is entitled to 33 receive a surviving spouse's monthly pension pursuant to 34 Article 3 of the Illinois Pension Code -- the death or HB1421 Engrossed -10- LRB9004056JSgc 1 remarriage of that spouse, or (v) if the death of the police 2 officer resulted from the performance of a duty and the 3 police officer is survived by a spouse or dependent child 4 eligible to receive benefits under Section 3-114.1 of the 5 Illinois Pension Code (whether or not those benefits are 6 subject to reduction), the cessation of eligibility for those 7 benefits. 8 No policy of group accident and health insurance under 9 which policemen employed by a municipality are insured for 10 their individual benefit shall be issued or delivered in this 11 State to any municipality unless such group policy provides 12 for the election of continued group insurance coverage for 13 the retirement or disability period of each police officer 14 who is insured under the provisions of the group policy on 15 the day immediately preceding the day on which the retirement 16 or disability period of such police officer begins. So long 17 as any required premiums for continued group insurance 18 coverage are paid in accordance with the provisions of the 19 group policy, an election made pursuant to this Section shall 20 provide continued group insurance coverage for a police 21 officer throughout the retirement or disability period of the 22 police officer and, unless the police officer otherwise 23 elects and subject to any other provisions of the group 24 policy which relate either to the provision or to the 25 termination of dependents' coverage and which are not 26 inconsistent with this Section, for any dependents of the 27 police officer who are insured under the group policy on the 28 day immediately preceding the day on which the retirement or 29 disability period of the police officer begins; provided, 30 however, that when such continued group insurance coverage is 31 in effect with respect to a police officer on the date of the 32 police officer's death but the retirement or disability 33 period of the police officer does not end with such police 34 officer's death, then the deceased police officer's surviving HB1421 Engrossed -11- LRB9004056JSgc 1 spouse upon whose death or remarriage such retirement or 2 disability period will end shall be entitled, without further 3 election and upon payment of any required premiums in 4 accordance with the provisions of the group policy, to 5 maintain such continued group insurance coverage in effect 6 until the end of such retirement or disability period. 7 Continued group insurance coverage shall be provided in 8 accordance with this Section at the same premium rate from 9 time to time charged for equivalent coverage provided under 10 the group policy with respect to covered policemen whose 11 retirement or disability period has not begun, and no 12 distinction or discrimination in the amount or rate of 13 premiums or in any waiver of premium or other benefit 14 provision shall be made between continued group insurance 15 coverage elected pursuant to this Section and equivalent 16 coverage provided to policemen under the group policy other 17 than pursuant to the provisions of this Section; provided 18 that no municipality shall be required by reason of any 19 provision of this Section to pay any group insurance premium 20 other than one that may be negotiated in a collective 21 bargaining agreement. If the group policy provides for a 22 reduction in benefits and premium for insureds who become 23 eligible for medicare, such provision shall apply to persons 24 electing continued coverage under this Section. 25 Within 15 days of the beginning of the retirement or 26 disability period of any police officer entitled to elect 27 continued group insurance coverage under any group policy 28 affected by this Section or, with respect to an individual 29 whose eligibility is dependent upon this amendatory Act of 30 1997, within 30 days after the effective date of this 31 amendatory Act of 1997, whichever is later, the municipality 32 last employing such police officer shall give written notice 33 of such beginning by certified mail, return receipt requested 34 to the insurance company issuing such policy. The notice HB1421 Engrossed -12- LRB9004056JSgc 1 shall include the police officer's name and last known place 2 of residence and the beginning date of the police officer's 3 retirement or disability period. 4 Within 15 days of the date of receipt of such notice from 5 the municipality, the insurance company by certified mail, 6 return receipt requested, shall give written notice to the 7 police officer at the police officer's last known place of 8 residence that coverage under the group policy may be 9 continued for the retirement or disability period of the 10 police officer as provided in this Section. Such notice 11 shall set forth: (i) a statement of election to be filed by 12 the police officer if the police officer wishes to continue 13 such group insurance coverage, (ii) the amount of monthly 14 premium, including a statement of the portion of such monthly 15 premium attributable to any dependents' coverage which the 16 police officer may elect, and (iii) instructions as to the 17 return of the election form to the insurance company issuing 18 such policy. Election shall be made, if at all, by returning 19 the statement of election to the insurance company by 20 certified mail, return receipt requested within 15 days after 21 having received it. 22 If the police officer elects to continue coverage, it 23 shall be the obligation of the police officer to pay the 24 monthly premium directly to the municipality which shall 25 forward it to the insurance company issuing the group 26 insurance policy, or as otherwise directed by the insurance 27 company; provided, however, that the police officer shall be 28 entitled to designate on the statement of election required 29 to be filed with the insurance company that the total monthly 30 premium, or such portion thereof as is not contributed by a 31 municipality, be deducted by a Police Pension Fund from any 32 monthly pension payment otherwise payable to or on behalf of 33 the police officer pursuant to Article 3 of the Illinois 34 Pension Code, and be remitted by such Pension Fund to the HB1421 Engrossed -13- LRB9004056JSgc 1 insurance company. The portion, if any, of the monthly 2 premium contributed by a municipality for such continued 3 group insurance coverage shall be paid by the municipality 4 directly to the insurance company issuing the group insurance 5 policy, or as otherwise directed by the insurance company. 6 Such continued group insurance coverage shall relate back to 7 the beginning of the police officer's retirement or 8 disability period. 9 The amendment, renewal or extension of any group 10 insurance policy affected by this Section shall be deemed to 11 be the issuance of a new policy of insurance for purposes of 12 this Section. 13 In the event that a municipality makes a program of 14 accident, health, hospital or medical benefits available to 15 its police officers through self-insurance, or by 16 participation in a pool or reciprocal insurer, or by contract 17 in a form other than a policy of group insurance with one or 18 more medical service plans, health care service corporations, 19 health maintenance organizations, or any other professional 20 corporations or plans under which health care or 21 reimbursement for the costs thereof is provided, whether the 22 cost of such benefits is borne by the municipality or the 23 police officers or both, such police officers and their 24 surviving spouses shall have the same right to elect 25 continued coverage under such program of benefits as they 26 would have if such benefits were provided by a policy of 27 group accident and health insurance. In such cases, the 28 notice of right to elect continued coverage shall be sent by 29 the municipality; the statement of election shall be sent to 30 the municipality; and references to the required premium 31 shall refer to that portion of the cost of such benefits 32 which is not borne by the municipality, either voluntarily or 33 pursuant to the provisions of a collective bargaining 34 agreement. In the case of a municipality providing such HB1421 Engrossed -14- LRB9004056JSgc 1 benefits through self-insurance or participation in a pool or 2 reciprocal insurer, the right to elect continued coverage 3 which is provided by this paragraph shall be implemented and 4 made available to the police officers of the municipality and 5 qualifying surviving spouses not later than July 1, 1986. 6 The amendment, renewal or extension of any such contract 7 in a form other than a policy of group insurance policy shall 8 be deemed the formation of a new contract for the purposes of 9 this Section. 10 This Section shall not limit the exercise of any 11 conversion privileges available under Section 367e. 12 (Source: P.A. 84-1010.) 13 (215 ILCS 5/367h) (from Ch. 73, par. 979h) 14 Sec. 367h. Deputy's continuance privilege. As used in 15 this Section: 16 1. The terms "municipality" and "creditable service" 17 shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms by Sections 18 7-105 and 7-113, respectively, of the Illinois Pension Code, 19 as now or hereafter amended. 20 The term "deferred pensioner" means a deputy who has 21 retired, having accumulated enough creditable service to 22 qualify for a pension, but who has not attained the required 23 age. 24 2. The term "deputy" shall mean a "sheriff's law 25 enforcement employee" as defined in Section 7-109.3 of the 26 Illinois Pension Code, and include only persons under the 27 coverage of Article 7 of that Code, as heretofore or 28 hereafter amended. 29 3. The "retirement or disability period" of a deputy 30 means the period: 31 a. which begins on the day the deputy is removed from a 32 sheriff's police department payroll because of the occurrence 33 of any of the following events, to wit: (i) the deputy HB1421 Engrossed -15- LRB9004056JSgc 1 retires as a deferred pensioner, (ii) the deputy retires from 2 active service as a deputy with an attained age and 3 accumulated creditable service which together qualify the 4 deputy for immediate receipt of retirement pension benefits 5 under Section 7-142.1 of the Illinois Pension Code,or(iii) 6 the deputy's disability is established under Article 7 of the 7 Illinois Pension Code, or (iv) the death of the deputy as the 8 result of the performance of a duty; and 9 b. which ends on the first to occur of any of the 10 following events, to wit: (i) the deputy's reinstatement or 11 reentry into active service in the sheriff's police 12 department as provided for under Article 7 of the Illinois 13 Pension Code, (ii) the deputy's exercise of any refund option 14 or acceptance of any separation benefit available under 15 Article 7 of the Illinois Pension Code, (iii) the deputy's 16 loss pursuant to Section 7-219 of the Illinois Pension Code 17 of any benefits provided for in Article 7 of that Code,or18 (iv) the deputy's death or -- if at the time of the deputy's 19 death the deputy is survived by a spouse who, in that 20 capacity, is entitled to receive a surviving spouse's monthly 21 pension pursuant to Article 7 of the Illinois Pension Code -- 22 the death or remarriage of that spouse, or (v) if the death 23 of the deputy resulted from the performance of a duty and the 24 deputy is survived by a spouse or dependent child eligible to 25 receive benefits under Article 7 of the Illinois Pension Code 26 (whether or not those benefits are subject to reduction), the 27 cessation of eligibility for those benefits. 28 No policy of group accident and health insurance under 29 which deputies employed by a municipality are insured for 30 their individual benefit shall be issued or delivered in this 31 State to any municipality unless such group policy provides 32 for the election of continued group insurance coverage for 33 the retirement or disability period of each deputy who is 34 insured under the provisions of the group policy on the day HB1421 Engrossed -16- LRB9004056JSgc 1 immediately preceding the day on which the retirement or 2 disability period of such deputy begins. So long as any 3 required premiums for continued group insurance coverage are 4 paid in accordance with the provisions of the group policy, 5 an election made pursuant to this Section shall provide 6 continued group insurance coverage for a deputy throughout 7 the retirement or disability period of the deputy and, unless 8 the deputy otherwise elects and subject to any other 9 provisions of the group policy which relate either to the 10 provision or to the termination of dependents' coverage and 11 which are not inconsistent with this Section, for any 12 dependents of the deputy who are insured under the group 13 policy on the day immediately preceding the day on which the 14 retirement or disability period of the deputy begins; 15 provided, however, that when such continued group insurance 16 coverage is in effect with respect to a deputy on the date of 17 the deputy's death but the retirement or disability period of 18 the deputy does not end with such deputy's death, then the 19 deceased deputy's surviving spouse upon whose death or 20 remarriage such retirement or disability period will end 21 shall be entitled, without further election and upon payment 22 of any required premiums in accordance with the provisions of 23 the group policy, to maintain such continued group insurance 24 coverage in effect until the end of such retirement or 25 disability period. Continued group insurance coverage shall 26 be provided in accordance with this Section at the same 27 premium rate from time to time charged for equivalent 28 coverage provided under the group policy with respect to 29 covered deputies whose retirement or disability period has 30 not begun, and no distinction or discrimination in the amount 31 or rate of premiums or in any waiver of premium or other 32 benefit provision shall be made between continued group 33 insurance coverage elected pursuant to this Section and 34 equivalent coverage provided to deputies under the group HB1421 Engrossed -17- LRB9004056JSgc 1 policy other than pursuant to the provisions of this Section; 2 provided that no municipality shall be required by reason of 3 any provision of this Section to pay any group insurance 4 premium other than one that may be negotiated in a collective 5 bargaining agreement. If the group policy provides for a 6 reduction in benefits and premium for insureds who become 7 eligible for medicare, such provision shall apply to persons 8 electing continued coverage under this Section. 9 Within 15 days of the beginning of the retirement or 10 disability period of any deputy entitled to elect continued 11 group insurance coverage under any group policy affected by 12 this Section or, with respect to an individual whose 13 eligibility is dependent upon this amendatory Act of 1997, 14 within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory 15 Act of 1997, whichever is later, the municipality last 16 employing such deputy shall give written notice of such 17 beginning by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the 18 insurance company issuing such policy. The notice shall 19 include the deputy's name and last known place of residence 20 and the beginning date of the deputy's retirement or 21 disability period. 22 Within 15 days of the date of receipt of such notice from 23 the municipality, the insurance company by certified mail, 24 return receipt requested, shall give written notice to the 25 deputy at the deputy's last known place of residence that 26 coverage under the group policy may be continued for the 27 retirement or disability period of the deputy as provided in 28 this Section. Such notice shall set forth: (i) a statement 29 of election to be filed by the deputy if the deputy wishes to 30 continue such group insurance coverage, (ii) the amount of 31 monthly premium, including a statement of the portion of such 32 monthly premium attributable to any dependents' coverage 33 which the deputy may elect, and (iii) instructions as to the 34 return of the election form to the insurance company issuing HB1421 Engrossed -18- LRB9004056JSgc 1 such policy. Election shall be made, if at all, by returning 2 the statement of election to the insurance company by 3 certified mail, return receipt requested, within 15 days 4 after having received it. 5 If the deputy elects to continue coverage, it shall be 6 the obligation of the deputy to pay the monthly premium 7 directly to the municipality which shall forward it to the 8 insurance company issuing the group insurance policy, or as 9 otherwise directed by the insurance company; provided, 10 however, that the deputy shall be entitled to designate on 11 the statement of election required to be filed with the 12 insurance company that the total monthly premium, or such 13 portion thereof as is not contributed by a municipality, be 14 deducted by the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund from the 15 monthly pension payment otherwise payable to or on behalf of 16 the deputy pursuant to Article 7 of the the Illinois Pension 17 Code, and be remitted by such Fund to the insurance company. 18 The portion, if any, of the monthly premium contributed by a 19 municipality for such continued group insurance coverage 20 shall be paid by the directly to the insurance company 21 issuing the group insurance policy, or as directed by the 22 insurance company. Such continued group insurance coverage 23 shall relate back to the beginning of the deputy's retirement 24 or disability period. 25 The amendment, renewal or extension of any group 26 insurance policy affected by this Section shall be deemed to 27 be the issuance of a new policy of insurance for purposes of 28 this Section. 29 In the event that a municipality makes a program of 30 accident, health, hospital or medical benefits available to 31 its deputies through self-insurance, or by participation in a 32 pool or reciprocal insurer, or by contract in a form other 33 than a policy of group insurance with one or more medical 34 service plans, health care service corporations, health HB1421 Engrossed -19- LRB9004056JSgc 1 maintenance organizations, or any other professional 2 corporations or plans under which health care or 3 reimbursement for the costs thereof is provided, whether the 4 cost of such benefits is borne by the municipality or the 5 deputies or both, such deputies and their surviving spouses 6 shall have the same right to elect continued coverage under 7 such program of benefits as they would have if such benefits 8 were provided by a policy of group accident and health 9 insurance. In such cases, the notice of right to elect 10 continued coverage shall be sent by the municipality; the 11 statement of election shall be sent to the municipality; and 12 references to the required premium shall refer to that 13 portion of the cost of such benefits which is not borne by 14 the municipality, either voluntarily or pursuant to the 15 provisions of a collective bargaining agreement. In the case 16 of a municipality providing such benefits through 17 self-insurance or participation in a pool or reciprocal 18 insurer, the right to elect continued coverage which is 19 provided by this paragraph shall be implemented and made 20 available to the deputies of the municipality and qualifying 21 surviving spouses not later than July 1, 1986. 22 The amendment, renewal or extension of any such contract 23 in a form other than a policy of group insurance policy shall 24 be deemed the formation of a new contract for the purposes of 25 this Section. 26 This Section shall not limit the exercise of any 27 conversion privileges available under Section 367e. 28 (Source: P.A. 84-1010.) 29 Section 20. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding 30 Section 8.21 as follows: 31 (30 ILCS 805/8.21 new) 32 Sec. 8.21. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 HB1421 Engrossed -20- LRB9004056JSgc 1 and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required 2 for the implementation of any mandate created by this 3 amendatory Act of 1997. 4 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 5 becoming law.