Bill Text: OR HB2996 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to benefit plans contracted for by the Public Employees' Benefit Board.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2011-06-30 - In committee upon adjournment. [HB2996 Detail]
Download: Oregon-2011-HB2996-Introduced.html
76th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2011 Regular Session
NOTE: Matter within { + braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within { - braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
{ + braces and plus signs + } .
LC 2583
House Bill 2996
Sponsored by Representative RICHARDSON (Presession filed.)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
Requires Public Employees' Benefit Board to contract for
consumer-directed health benefit plan that provides access to
high-deductible health plan and health savings accounts for
eligible employees.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to benefit plans contracted for by the Public Employees'
Benefit Board; amending ORS 243.135 and 292.051.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. ORS 243.135, as amended by section 1, chapter 49,
Oregon Laws 2010, is amended to read:
243.135. (1) Notwithstanding any other benefit plan contracted
for and offered by the Public Employees' Benefit Board, the board
shall contract for a health benefit plan or plans best designed
to meet the needs and provide for the welfare of eligible
employees and the state. In considering whether to enter into a
contract for a plan, the board shall place emphasis on:
(a) Employee choice among high quality plans;
(b) A competitive marketplace;
(c) Plan performance and information;
(d) Employer flexibility in plan design and contracting;
(e) Quality customer service;
(f) Creativity and innovation;
(g) Plan benefits as part of total employee compensation; and
(h) The improvement of employee health.
(2) The board may approve more than one carrier for each type
of plan contracted for and offered but the number of carriers
shall be held to a number consistent with adequate service to
eligible employees and their family members.
(3) Where appropriate for a contracted and offered health
benefit plan, the board shall provide options under which an
eligible employee may arrange coverage for family members.
(4) Payroll deductions for such costs as are not payable by the
state may be made upon receipt of a signed authorization from the
employee indicating an election to participate in the plan or
plans selected and the deduction of a certain sum from the
employee's pay.
(5) In developing any health benefit plan, the board may
provide an option of additional coverage for eligible employees
and their family members at an additional cost or premium.
(6) Transfer of enrollment from one plan to another shall be
open to all eligible employees and their family members under
rules adopted by the board. Because of the special problems that
may arise in individual instances under comprehensive group
practice plan coverage involving acceptable physician-patient
relations between a particular panel of physicians and particular
eligible employees and their family members, the board shall
provide a procedure under which any eligible employee may apply
at any time to substitute a health service benefit plan for
participation in a comprehensive group practice benefit plan.
(7) The board shall evaluate a benefit plan that serves a
limited geographic region of this state according to the criteria
described in subsection (1) of this section.
{ + (8)(a) Notwithstanding any other benefit plan contracted
for and offered by the board, the board shall contract for and
offer a consumer-directed health plan that provides for access by
eligible employees to a high-deductible health plan and health
savings accounts authorized under the Internal Revenue Code of
1986.
(b) As used in this subsection, 'high-deductible health plan'
and 'health savings account' have the meanings given those terms
in 26 U.S.C. 223. + }
SECTION 2. ORS 292.051 is amended to read:
292.051. (1) Except as authority over contracts for health
benefit plans described in ORS 243.135 is vested in the Public
Employees' Benefit Board, upon receipt of the request in writing
of an officer or employee so to do, the state official authorized
to disburse funds in payment of the salary or wages of the
officer or employee may deduct from the salary or wages of the
officer or employee an amount of money indicated in the request
for payment of the applicable amount set forth in benefit plans
selected by the officers or employees or in their behalf for:
(a) Group life insurance, including life insurance for
dependents of officers or employees.
(b) Group dental and related services and supplies, or any
other remedial care recognized by state law and related services
and supplies, other than medical, surgical or hospital care,
recognized under state law, including such insurance for
dependents of state officers or employees.
(c) Group indemnity insurance for accidental death and
dismemberment and for loss of income due to accident, sickness or
other disability, including such insurance for dependents of
state officers or employees.
(d) Automobile casualty insurance under a monthly payroll
deduction program endorsed or offered by an employee organization
representing 500 or more state employees. Membership in the
employee organization is not a requirement for participation in
this program.
(e) Legal insurance under a monthly payroll deduction program
endorsed or offered by an employee organization representing 500
or more state employees.
(f) Self-insurance programs that are approved and provided by
the Public Employees' Benefit Board.
{ + (g) Health savings accounts authorized under the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986. + }
(2) The Oregon Department of Administrative Services may
establish and collect a fee to cover costs of administering this
section.
(3) No state official authorized to disburse funds in payment
of salaries or wages is required to make deductions as authorized
by subsection (1) of this section for more than one benefit plan
of the type referred to in each of the paragraphs in subsection
(1) of this section per eligible employee.
(4) Moneys deducted under subsection (1) of this section shall
be paid over promptly:
(a) To the insurance companies, agencies or hospital
associations, or persons responsible for payment of premiums to
the companies, agencies or associations, in accordance with the
terms of the contracts made by the officers or employees or in
their behalf; or
(b) With respect to self-insurance benefits, in accordance with
rules, procedures and directions of the Public Employees' Benefit
Board.
(5) As used in this section, 'officer or employee' means all
persons who receive salaries or wages disbursed by any state
official.
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