Bill Text: HI HB979 | 2019 | Regular Session | Amended

---

Bill Title: Relating To The Hawaii Employer-union Health Benefits Trust Fund Compliance With Federal And State Laws.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-03-05 - Referred to LCA, WAM. [HB979 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2019-HB979-Amended.html

---

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	979
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the definition of "dependent-beneficiary" in section 87A-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, should be amended to be consistent with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, which prohibits restricting health insurance coverage to only unmarried dependents and dependents who live with the employee-beneficiary, and denying health insurance coverage to married dependents and dependents who do not live with the employee-beneficiary.  The legislature further finds that chapter 87A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, should be amended to be consistent with chapter 572B, Hawaii Revised Statutes, regarding civil unions.

     The purposes of this Act are to:

     (1)  Bring the definition of "dependent-beneficiary" into conformance with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010; and

     (2)  Bring references to marriages into conformance with chapter 572B, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     SECTION 2.  Section 87A-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "dependent-beneficiary" to read as follows:

     ""Dependent-beneficiary" means an employee-beneficiary's:

     (1)  Spouse;

     (2)  [Unmarried child] Child deemed eligible by the board, including a legally adopted child, stepchild, foster child, or recognized natural child [who lives with the employee-beneficiary]; and

     (3)  Unmarried child regardless of age who is incapable of self-support because of a mental or physical incapacity, which existed prior to the unmarried child's reaching the age of nineteen years."

     SECTION 3.  Section 87A-32, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  The State, through the department of budget and finance, and the counties, through their respective departments of finance, shall pay to the fund a monthly contribution equal to the amount established under chapter 89C or specified in the applicable public sector collective bargaining agreements, whichever is appropriate, for each of their respective employee-beneficiaries and employee-beneficiaries with dependent-beneficiaries, which shall be used toward the payment of costs of a health benefits plan; provided that:

     (1)  The monthly contribution shall be a specified dollar amount;

     (2)  The monthly contribution shall not exceed the actual cost of a health benefits plan;

     (3)  If [both husband and wife are] two employee-beneficiaries[,] are married or in a civil union, the total contribution by the State or the county shall not exceed the monthly contribution for a family plan; and

     (4)  If the State or any of the counties establish cafeteria plans in accordance with Title 26, United States Code section 125, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and section 78-30, the monthly contribution for those employee-beneficiaries who participate in a cafeteria plan shall be made through the cafeteria plan, and the payments made by the State or counties shall include their respective contributions to the fund and their employee-beneficiary's share of the cost of the employee-beneficiary's health benefits plan."

     SECTION 4.  Section 87A-33, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

     "(b)  Effective January 1, 2014, there is established a base monthly contribution for health benefit plans that the State, through the department of budget and finance, and the counties, through their respective departments of finance, shall pay to the fund, up to the following:

     (1)  $524.73 for each employee-beneficiary enrolled in supplemental medicare self plans;

     (2)  $1,051.70 for each employee-beneficiary enrolled in supplemental medicare two-party plans;

     (3)  $1,531.78 for each employee-beneficiary enrolled in supplemental medicare family plans;

     (4)  $736.60 for each employee-beneficiary enrolled in non-medicare self plans;

     (5)  $1,484.72 for each employee-beneficiary enrolled in non-medicare two-party plans; and

     (6)  $2,173.06 for each employee-beneficiary enrolled in non-medicare family plans.

     The monthly contribution by the State or county shall not exceed the actual cost of the health benefit plan or plans and shall not be required to cover increased benefits above those initially contracted for by the fund for plan year 2004-2005.  If [both husband and wife are] two employee-beneficiaries[,] are married or in a civil union, the total contribution by the State or county shall not exceed the monthly contribution for a supplemental medicare family or non-medicare family plan, as appropriate."

     SECTION 5.  Section 87A-34, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

     "(b)  The State, through the department of budget and finance, and the counties, through their respective departments of finance, shall pay to the fund a monthly contribution equal to one-half of the base monthly contribution set forth under section 87A-33(b) for retired employees enrolled in medicare or non-medicare health benefits plans.  If [both husband and wife are] two employee-beneficiaries[,] are married or in a civil union, the total contribution by the State or county shall not exceed the monthly contribution for supplemental medicare family or non-medicare family plan, as appropriate."

     SECTION 6.  Section 87A-35, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:

     "(c)  The State, through the department of budget and finance, and the counties, through their respective departments of finance, shall pay to the fund:

     (1)  For retired employees enrolled in medicare or non-medicare health benefit plans with ten or more years but fewer than fifteen years of service, a monthly contribution equal to one-half of the base monthly contribution set forth under section 87A-33(b); and

     (2)  For retired employees enrolled in medicare or non-medicare health benefit plans with at least fifteen but fewer than twenty-five years of service, a monthly contribution of seventy-five per cent of the base monthly contribution set forth under section 87A-33(b).

If [both husband and wife are] two employee-beneficiaries[,] are married or in a civil union, the total contribution by the State or county shall not exceed the monthly contribution for a supplemental medicare family or non-medicare family plan, as appropriate."

     SECTION 7.  Section 87A-36, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:

     "(c)  The State, through the department of budget and finance, and the counties, through their respective departments of finance, shall pay to the fund:

     (1)  For retired employees based on the self plan with ten or more years but fewer than fifteen years of service, a monthly contribution equal to one-half of the base medicare or non-medicare monthly contribution set forth under section 87A-33(b);

     (2)  For retired employees based on the self plan with at least fifteen but fewer than twenty-five years of service, a monthly contribution equal to seventy-five per cent of the base medicare or non-medicare monthly contribution set forth under section 87A-33(b);

     (3)  For retired employees based on the self plan with twenty-five or more years of service, a monthly contribution equal to one hundred per cent of the base medicare or non-medicare monthly contribution set forth under section 87A-33(b); and

     (4)  One-half of the monthly contributions for the employee-beneficiary or employee-beneficiary with dependent-beneficiaries upon the death of the employee, as defined in paragraph (1)(D) of the definition of "employee" in section 87A-1.

     If [both husband and wife are] two employee-beneficiaries[,] are married or in a civil union, the total contribution by the State or county shall not exceed the monthly contribution for two supplemental medicare self or non-medicare self plans, as appropriate."

     SECTION 8.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 9.  This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2050.

 

 

Report Title:

Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund

 

Description:

Amends the definition of "dependent-beneficiary" under the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund to conform with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.  Brings references to marriages under the EUTF into conformance with the state Civil Unions Law.  (HB979 HD1)

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.