Chapter 32A

Section 24. (a) There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a fund to be known as the State Retiree Benefits Trust Fund. The State Retiree Benefits Trust Fund board of trustees established in section 24A shall be the trustee of the fund and shall employ…

Section 24A. (a) The State Retiree Benefits Trust Fund shall be managed by a board of trustees which shall have general supervision of the trust. The duties and obligations of the board shall be set forth in a declaration of trust to be adopted by the board. The declaration of tr…

Section 25. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:— ''Actuary'', a person who is a member of American Academy of Actuaries and meets the academy's professional qualification standards for …

Section 25A. For purposes of this section, ''Down syndrome'' shall mean a chromosomal condition caused by an error in cell division that results in the presence of an extra whole or partial copy of chromosome 21. The commission shall provide to any active or retired employee of t…

Section 26. The commission shall, subject to appropriation, negotiate with and purchase, on such terms as it deems to be in the best interest of the commonwealth and its employees, from 1 or more entities that can manage a wellness program covering persons in the service of the c…

Section 27. The commission shall require any carriers or third party administrators with whom it contracts to provide a toll-free telephone number and website that enables consumers to request and obtain from the carrier or third party administrator, in real time, the estimated o…

Section 28. (a) Coverage offered by the commission to an active or retired employee of the commonwealth insured under the group insurance commission shall provide coverage for the following services and contraceptive methods: (i) Food and Drug Administration, FDA, approved contra…

Section 29. (a) The commission shall provide to any active or retired employee of the commonwealth who is insured under the group insurance commission coverage for: (i) tobacco use cessation counseling; and (ii) all generic United States Food and Drug Administration-approved toba…

Section 3. There shall be established within the executive office of administration and finance, but not under its jurisdiction, a special unpaid commission, to be known as the group insurance commission, consisting of the commissioner of administration and finance, the commissio…

Section 30. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:- ''Behavioral health services'', care and services for the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment or management of patients with ment…

Section 31. The commission shall provide to any active or retired employee of the commonwealth who is insured under the group insurance commission benefits on a nondiscriminatory basis for medically necessary emergency services programs, as defined in section 1 of chapter 175.

Section 32. (a) For the purpose of this section, the following words shall have the following meanings: ''Licensed mental health professional'', a licensed physician who specializes in the practice of psychiatry, a licensed psychologist, a licensed independent clinical social wor…

Section 33. (a) For the purposes of this section, ''federally-defined preventive services'' shall mean: (i) evidence-based items or services that currently have a rating of ''A'' or ''B'' in the recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force; (ii) immunizatio…

Section 34. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:— ''Cost sharing'', a deductible, coinsurance, copayment and any maximum limitation on the application of such a deductible, coinsurance,…

Section 3A. There shall be within the group insurance commission, but not under its direction or control, an unpaid advisory committee to be known as the employees' advisory committee consisting of a representative duly elected or appointed to membership on said committee by orga…

Section 3B. This chapter shall become effective for a commonwealth charter school by a majority vote of its board of trustees and, for an education collaborative, by a majority vote of its board of directors.

Section 4. The commission shall negotiate with and purchase, on such terms as it deems to be in the best interest of the commonwealth and its employees, from one or more insurance companies, savings banks or non-profit hospital or medical service corporations, a policy or policie…

Section 4A. The commission when providing hospital, surgical, medical, dental and other health insurance coverage as authorized by this chapter may, in lieu of or in addition to entering into the insurance policies, agreements or contracts described in this chapter, enter into an…

Section 4B. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise: ''Behavioral health services'', as defined in section 1 of chapter 175, or ''services''. ''Provider'', (i) a mental health clinic…

Section 5. Each employee shall be automatically insured for $10,000 of group life insurance and $10,000 of group accidental death and dismemberment insurance and group general or blanket insurance providing hospital, surgical, medical, dental and other health insurance benefits p…

Section 6. The amount of group life insurance on each employee shall be $10,000, and the amount of group accidental death and dismemberment insurance on each employee shall be $10,000, except that those employees desiring to elect optional coverage in excess of $10,000 group life…

Section 7. Each employee to whom this chapter applies shall furnish the commission, in such form as it shall prescribe, such information as is necessary to enroll himself, or himself and his dependents, under the policy or policies of insurance.

Section 8. For policies of group life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and group health insurance purchased by the commission in accordance with the provisions of sections four, five and ten C, the commonwealth, on behalf of active and retired employees…

Section 8A. The secretary of administration and finance is hereby authorized and directed to charge all agencies for the commonwealth's share of the health insurance costs incurred on behalf of any employees of that agency who are on leave of absence for a period of more than one…

Section 9. Any dividend, its equivalent or other refunds or rate credits, accepted by the commission from the carrier or carriers, shall be deposited by the commission with the state treasurer and shall be maintained in a separate fund to be known as the group insurance commissio…

Section 9A. There shall be an unpaid investment committee which shall have general supervision of the investment of funds retained in the group insurance commission trust fund to be used on behalf of the insured employees. Such committee shall consist of the state treasurer, who …