House File 2238 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY WINCKLER, WESSEL=KROESCHELL, LENSING, HUNTER, MASCHER, MERTZ, BUKTA, WHITEAD, LYKAM, FREVERT, D. TAYLOR, KRESSIG, ZIRKELBACH, SWAIM, and GASKILL Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act allowing the continuation of group health insurance for 2 spouses of certain retired public employees and providing for 3 retroactive applicability. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 5118HH 82 6 av/nh/8 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 509A.13, Code 2007, is amended to read 1 2 as follows: 1 3 509A.13 CONTINUATION OF GROUP INSURANCE. 1 4 1. a. If a governing body, a county board of supervisors, 1 5 or a city council has procured for its employees accident, 1 6 health, or hospitalization insurance, or a medical service 1 7 plan, or has contracted with a health maintenance organization 1 8 authorized to do business in this state, the governing body, 1 9 county board of supervisors, or city council shall allow its 1 10 employees who retired before attaining sixty=five years of age 1 11 to continue participation in the group plan or under the group 1 12 contract at the employee's own expense until the employee 1 13 attains sixty=five years of age. 1 14 b. Thissectionsubsection applies to employees who 1 15 retired on or after January 1, 1981. 1 16 2. a. If an employee who retired before attaining 1 17 sixty=five years of age continues to participate in the group 1 18 plan or under the group contract until the employee attains 1 19 sixty=five years of age as provided in subsection 1, the 1 20 governing body, county board of supervisors, or city council 1 21 may allow the spouse of that employee to elect to continue 1 22 participation as a member in the group plan or under the group 1 23 contract at the spouse's own expense until the spouse attains 1 24 sixty=five years of age. A spouse who makes such an election 1 25 shall pay the total premium for the group plan or contract and 1 26 shall have the same rights to change programs or coverage as 1 27 the retired employee. 1 28 b. This subsection applies to spouses of employees who 1 29 retired on or after January 1, 2005. 1 30 EXPLANATION 1 31 This bill relates to the continuation of group health 1 32 insurance benefits for spouses of certain retired public 1 33 employees. 1 34 The bill provides that if a state, county, or city employee 1 35 who retired before age 65 continues to participate in the 2 1 group health plan or contract until that person reaches age 2 2 65, the state, county, or city may allow the spouse of the 2 3 retired employee to elect to continue to participate as a 2 4 member of the group health plan or contract at the spouse's 2 5 expense until the spouse also reaches age 65. The bill 2 6 applies to spouses of employees who retired on or after 2 7 January 1, 2005. 2 8 LSB 5118HH 82 2 9 av/nh/8