In order to promote the economy and efficiency of employment in the state's service, reduce personnel turnover, and offer an incentive to high-grade individuals to enter and remain in the service of state employment, there is created a uniform group insurance program. The uniform group must be composed of eligible and retired employees and be formed to provide hospital benefits coverage, medical benefits coverage, and life insurance benefits coverage in the manner set forth in this chapter. The uniform group may be divided into the following subgroups at the discretion of the board: 1. Medical and hospital benefits coverage group consisting of active eligible employees and retired employees not eligible for Medicare, except for employees who first retire after July 1, 2015, and are not eligible for Medicare on their retirement. In determining premiums for coverage under this subsection for retired employees not eligible for Medicare, the rate for a non-Medicare retiree single plan is one hundred fifty percent of the active member single plan rate, the rate for a non-Medicare retiree family plan of two people is twice the non-Medicare retiree single plan rate, and the rate for a non-Medicare retiree family plan of three or more persons is two and one-half times the non-Medicare retiree single plan rate. 2. In addition to the coverage provided in subsection 1, another coverage option may be provided for retired employees not eligible for Medicare, except for employees who first retire after July 1, 2015, and are not eligible for Medicare on their retirement, provided the option does not increase the implicit subsidy as determined by the governmental accounting standards board's other postemployment benefit reporting procedure. In offering this additional option, the board may have an open enrollment but thereafter enrollment for this option must be as specified in section 54-52.1-03. 3. Retired Medicare-eligible employee group medical and hospital benefits coverage. 4. Active eligible employee life insurance benefits coverage. 5. Retired employee life insurance benefits coverage. 6. Terminated employee continuation group medical and hospital benefits coverage. 7. Terminated employee conversion group medical and hospital benefits coverage. 8. Dental benefits coverage. 9. Vision benefits coverage. 10. Long-term care benefits coverage. 11. Employee assistance benefits coverage. 12. Prescription drug coverage.
54-52.1-03. Employee participation in plan - Employee to furnish information - Benefits to continue upon retirement or termination. 1. Any eligible employee may be enrolled in the uniform group insurance program created by this chapter by requesting enrollment with the employing department. If an eligible employee does not enroll in the uniform group insurance program at the time of beginning employment, in order to enroll at a later time the eligible employee must meet minimum requirements established by the board. An employing department may not require an active eligible employee to request coverage under the uniform group insurance program as a prerequisite to receive the minimum employer-paid life insurance benefits coverage or employee assistance program benefits coverage. 2. A retiree who has accepted a periodic distribution from the defined contribution retirement plan pursuant to section 54-52.6-13 who the board determines is eligible for participation in the uniform group insurance program or has accepted a retirement allowance from the public employees retirement system, the highway patrol troopers' retirement system, the teachers' insurance and annuity association of America -
college retirement equities fund for service credit earned while employed by North Dakota institutions of higher education, the retirement system established by job service North Dakota under section 52-11-01, the judges' retirement system established under chapter 27-17, or the teachers' fund for retirement may elect to participate in the uniform group under this chapter without meeting minimum requirements at age sixty-five, when the member's spouse reaches age sixty-five, upon the receipt of a benefit, or when the spouse terminates employment. If a retiree or surviving spouse does not elect to participate at the times specified in this subsection, the retiree or surviving spouse must meet the minimum requirements established by the board. Subject to sections 54-52.1-03.2 and 54-52.1-03.3, each retiree or surviving spouse shall pay directly to the board the premiums in effect for the coverage then being provided. A retiree or surviving spouse who has met the initial eligibility requirements of this subsection to begin participation in the uniform group insurance program remains eligible as long as the retiree maintains the retiree's participation in the program by paying the required premium pursuant to rules adopted by the board. 3. Upon the termination of employment when the employee is not eligible to participate under subsection 2 or 4 or applicable federal law, that employee cannot continue as a member of the uniform group. 4. A member or former member of the legislative assembly or that individual's surviving spouse may elect to continue membership in the uniform group within the applicable time limitations after either termination of eligible employment as a member of the legislative assembly or termination of other eligible employment or, for a surviving spouse, upon the death of the member or former member of the legislative assembly. The member or former member of the legislative assembly or that individual's surviving spouse shall pay the premiums in effect for the coverage provided directly to the board. 5. Each eligible employee requesting enrollment shall furnish the appropriate individual in the employing department, board, or agency with such information and in such form as prescribed by the board to enable the enrollment of the employee, or employee and dependents, in the uniform group insurance program created by this chapter. 6. If the participating employee is a faculty member in a state charitable, penal, or educational institution who receives a salary or wages on less than a twelve-month basis and has signed a contract to teach for the next ensuing school year, the agency shall make arrangements to include that employee in the insurance program on a twelve-month basis and make the contribution authorized by this section for each month of the twelve-month period.
54-52.1-03.1. Certain political subdivisions authorized to join uniform group insurance program - Employer contribution. If eligible under federal law, a political subdivision may extend the benefits of the uniform group insurance program under this chapter to its permanent employees, subject to minimum requirements established by the board and a minimum period of participation of sixty months. If the political subdivision withdraws from participation in the uniform group insurance program, before completing sixty months of participation, unless federal or state laws or rules are modified or interpreted in a way that makes participation by the political subdivision in the uniform group insurance program no longer allowable or appropriate, the political subdivision shall make payment to the board in an amount equal to any expenses incurred in the uniform group insurance program that exceed income received on behalf of the political subdivision's employees as determined under rules adopted by the board. The Garrison Diversion Conservancy District shall participate in the uniform group insurance program under the same terms and conditions as state agencies. District health units required to participate in the public employees retirement system under section 54-52-02, which were participating in the uniform group insurance program at the time the Affordable Care Act was enacted, shall participate in the uniform group insurance program under the same terms and conditions as state agencies. A retiree who has accepted a retirement allowance from a participating political subdivision's
retirement plan may elect to participate in the uniform group under this chapter without meeting minimum requirements at age sixty-five, when the employee's spouse reaches age sixty-five, upon the receipt of a benefit, when the political subdivision joins the uniform group insurance plan if the retiree was a member of the former plan, or when the spouse terminates employment. If a retiree or surviving spouse does not elect to participate at the times specified in this section, the retiree or surviving spouse must meet the minimum requirements established by the board. Each retiree or surviving spouse shall pay directly to the board the premiums in effect for the coverage then being provided. The board may require documentation that the retiree has accepted a retirement allowance from an eligible retirement plan other than the public employees retirement system.