HB 155 — State Health Plan; delete prohibition on covering hearing aids.

Insurance Lancaster, Byrd COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO.

155 (As Sent to Governor) AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-15-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DELETEPROHIBIT THECOVERAGE PROHIBITIONUNDER ON THE STATE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN COVERINGOF HEARING AIDS;AIDS FOR INDIVIDUALS OVER THE AGE OF 21 YEARS;

TO AMEND SECTION 25-15-15, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REMOVE THE PROHIBITION ON THE HEALTH INSURANCE MANAGEMENT BOARD FOR IMPOSING A SURCHARGE BASED ON THE USE OR NONUSE OF TOBACCO-RELATED PRODUCTS, AND TO EXTEND THE REPEALER ON THE AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD TO COLLECT PREMIUM PAYMENTS FROM PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLAN;

Such health insurance shall not include expense incurred by or on account of an individual prior to July 1, 1972, as to himhim; or her;

eyeglasseseyeglasses, *hearing *aids *for individuals over the age of twenty-one (21) years, and examinations for the prescription or fitting thereof;

cosmetic surgery or treatment, except to the extent necessary for correctionH. of damage by accidental injury while covered by the plan or as a direct result of disease covered by the plan;

services received in a hospital owned or operated by the United States government for which no charge is made;

services H.

155 *HR26/R176CS**HR26/R176SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2 22/HR26/R176CS22/HR26/R176SG PAGE 1 (CAA\KW) receivedcorrection forof injurydamage orby sicknessaccidental dueinjury towhile warcovered orby anythe actplan of war, whether declared or undeclared,as whicha wardirect orresult act of wardisease shallcovered haveby occurredthe afterplan; July 1, 1972;

services received in a hospital owned or operated by the United States government for which no charge is made;

services received for injury or sickness due to war or any act of war, whether declared or undeclared, which war or act of war shall have occurred after July 1, 1972;

Section 25-15-15, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

25-15-15.

(1) The board is authorized to determine the manner in which premiums and contributions by the state agencies, local school districts, colleges, universities, community/junior colleges and public libraries shall be collected to provide the self-insured health insurance program for employees as provided under this article.

The state shall provide fifty percent (50%) of the cost of the above life insurance plan for all active full-time employees.

The state shall provide one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of the health insurance plan for active full-time employees initially employed before January 1, 2006, except as otherwise provided in this section.

For active full-time employees initially employed on or after January 1, H.

B.

No.

155 *HR26/R176SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 22/HR26/R176SG PAGE 2(CAA\KW) 2006, the state shall provide one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of a basic level of health insurance, except as otherwise provided in this section, and the employees may pay additional amounts to purchase additional benefits or levels of coverage offered under the plan.

The board, if determined to be necessary, may assess active full-time employees a portion of the active employee premium in an amount not to exceed Twenty Dollars ($20.00) per month, notwithstanding any language in this section to the contrary.

All active full-time employees shall be given the opportunity to purchase coverage for their eligible dependents with the premiums for such dependent coverage, as well as the employee's fifty percent (50%) share for his life insurance coverage, to be deductible from the employee's salary by the agency, department or institution head, which deductions, together with the fifty percent (50%) share of such life insurance premiums of such employing agency, department or institution head from funds appropriated to or authorized to be expended by the employing agency, department or institution head, shall be deposited directly into a depository bank or special fund in the State Treasury, as determined by the board.

These funds and interest earned on these funds may be used for the disbursement of claims and shall be exempt from the appropriation process.

(2) The state shall provide annually, by line item in the Mississippi Library Commission appropriation bill, such funds to pay one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of health insurance H.

B.

No.

155 *HR26/R176SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 22/HR26/R176SG PAGE 3(CAA\KW) under the State and School Employees Health Insurance Plan, or any lesser percentage of the cost that is not assessed to the employees by the board, for full-time library staff members in each public library in Mississippi initially employed before January 1, 2006.

For full-time library staff members initially employed on or after January 1, 2006, the state shall provide one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of a basic level of health insurance under the State and School Employees Health Insurance Plan, or any lesser percentage of the cost that is not assessed to the employees by the board, and the employees may pay additional amounts to purchase additional benefits or levels of coverage offered under the plan.

The commission shall allot to each public library a sufficient amount of those funds appropriated to pay the costs of insurance for eligible employees.

Any funds so appropriated by line item which are not expended during the fiscal year for which such funds were appropriated shall be carried forward for the same purposes during the next succeeding fiscal year.

If any premiums for the health insurance and/or late charges and interest penalties are not paid by a public library in a timely manner, as defined by the board, the Mississippi Library Commission, upon notice by the board, shall immediately withhold all subsequent disbursements of funds to that public library.

(3) The state shall annually provide one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of the health insurance plan, or any lesser percentage of the cost that is not assessed to the employees by H.

B.

No.

155 *HR26/R176SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 22/HR26/R176SG PAGE 4(CAA\KW) the board, for public school district employees who work no less than twenty (20) hours during each week and regular nonstudent school bus drivers, if such employees and school bus drivers were initially employed before January 1, 2006.

For such employees and school bus drivers initially employed on or after January 1, 2006, the state shall provide one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of a basic level of health insurance under the State and School Employees Health Insurance Plan, or any lesser percentage of the cost that is not assessed to the employees by the board, and the employees may pay additional amounts to purchase additional benefits or levels of coverage offered under the plan.

Where federal funding is allowable to defray, in full or in part, the cost of participation in the program by district employees who work no less than twenty (20) hours during the week and regular nonstudent bus drivers, whose salaries are paid, in full or in part, by federal funds, the allowance under this section shall be reduced to the extent of such federal funding.

Where the use of federal funds is allowable but not available, it is the intent of the Legislature that school districts contribute the cost of participation for such employees from local funds, except that parent fees for child nutrition programs shall not be increased to cover such cost.

(4) The state shall provide annually, by line item in the community/junior college appropriation bill, such funds to pay one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of the health insurance plan, H.

B.