(a) If any member of the National Guard of the Virgin Islands with civilian employer-sponsored insurance coverage is ordered to Territorial active duty by the Governor for up to 30 days, the service member shall continue civilian health insurance under the same terms and conditions as were in effect for the month preceding the member’s call to Territorial active duty, including a continuation of the same levels of employer and employee contributions toward premiums and cost-sharing.
(b) During any period or consecutive periods of Territorial active duty in excess of 30 days, an officer or enlisted member of National Guard of the Virgin Islands is entitled to reimbursement of the officer’s or member’s cost of privately-purchased or employer-provided health insurance for the officer or member and the officer’s or member’s family when the policy of insurance was in force prior to the officer or member being ordered to perform active territorial service. The reimbursement must be treated as an allowance and paid by the Government of the Virgin Islands and must be considered as a cost of territorial active duty. For a member whose employer chooses not to continue regular contributions toward premiums and cost-sharing during the period of the member’s territorial active duty in excess of 30 days, the Government of the Virgin Islands is responsible for paying the employer’s share of the premium and cost-sharing. The payment must be paid by the Government of the Virgin Islands and must be considered as a cost of territorial active duty.
(c) The Office of the Adjutant General in administering this section may adopt regulations, policies, procedures, and guidelines to carry out the purposes of this section, including developing employee notice requirements, enforcement provisions, and a process for the Territory to remit the employer’s share of premiums and cost-sharing to the appropriate entities pursuant to subsection (b).