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Health insurance premium assistance program - 24 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 8509

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     § 8509.  Health insurance premium assistance program.
        (a)  Contribution rate.--Effective July 1, 1991, the premium
     assistance contribution rate established in section 8328(f)
     (relating to actuarial cost method) shall be sufficient to
     provide reserves in the health insurance account as of June 30,
     1992, for the payment of premium assistance set forth in
     subsection (b) during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1992,
     for all eligible annuitants who by that date elect to be
     participating eligible annuitants and all additional eligible
     annuitants who elect to be participating eligible annuitants in
     the health insurance premium assistance program during the
     fiscal year beginning July 1, 1992. For each fiscal year
     beginning after July 1, 1991, the premium assistance
     contribution rate shall be established to provide reserves
     sufficient, when combined with unexpended amounts from the
     reserves set aside the previous fiscal year for health insurance
     assistance payments, to provide premium assistance payments in
     the subsequent fiscal year for all participating eligible
     annuitants. The board is authorized to expend an amount not to
     exceed 2% of the health insurance account each year to pay for
     the direct expense of administering the health insurance premium
     assistance program, which expenditure may be included in the
     board's consideration when it establishes the premium assistance
     contribution rate each year.
        (b)  Amount of premium assistance.--Participating eligible
     annuitants shall receive premium assistance payments as provided
     in paragraphs (1) and (2). Such payments shall be made by the
     board to the participating eligible annuitants for their payment
     directly to their approved insurance carriers. Such payments may
     also be paid by the board, at the board's discretion, directly
     to the participating eligible annuitants' approved insurance
     carriers. The board shall have the right to verify the
     application and receipt of the payments by the participating
     eligible annuitants and their approved insurance carriers. The
     premium assistance payments are as follows:
            (1)  Effective July 1, 1992, $55 per month or the actual
        monthly premium, whichever is less.
            (2)  Effective January 1, 2002, $100 per month or the
        actual monthly premium, whichever is less.
        (c)  Participating eligible annuitants.--An eligible
     annuitant may elect to participate in the health insurance
     premium assistance program by filing an election to be covered
     by a health insurance carrier approved by the board and to
     participate in the health insurance premium assistance program.
     Participation in the health insurance premium assistance program
     shall begin upon the effective date of the health insurance
     coverage provided by a health insurance carrier approved by the
     board, but in no event before the effective date of retirement.
     (Aug. 5, 1991, P.L.183, No.23, eff. imd.; Apr. 29, 1994,
     P.L.159, No.29, eff. imd.; May 17, 2001, P.L.26, No.9, eff.
     imd.)

        2001 Amendment.  Act 9 amended subsec. (b).
        1991 Amendment.  Act 23 added section 8509. Section 32 of Act
     23 provided that if the health insurance program established
     under Act 23 is canceled by statute, any remaining funds shall
     revert to the Public School Employees' Retirement Fund.
        Cross References.  Section 8509 is referred to in sections
     8326, 8328, 8502.2, 8526, 9101 of this title.

Last modified: November 27, 2007