CHAPTER 515
An Act to amend and reenact § 15.2-1517 of the Code of
Virginia, relating to insurance for employees and retired employees of
localities and other local governmental entities.
[H 809]
Approved April 4, 2012
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 15.2-1517 of the Code of Virginia is
amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 15.2-1517. Insurance for employees and retired
employees of localities and other local governmental entities; participation by
certain volunteers.
A. Any locality may provide group life, accident, and health
insurance programs for their its officers and employees, and;
employees of boards, commissions, agencies and, or
authorities created by or controlled by such locality; or employees
of boards, commissions, agencies, or authorities that are political
subdivisions of the Commonwealth and work in close cooperation with such
locality. In addition, any locality that provides such a health insurance
program may allow eligible members of approved volunteer fire or rescue
companies, as determined by the locality, to participate in such a health
insurance program. Such programs may be through a program of self-insurance,
purchased insurance, or partial self-insurance and purchased insurance,
whichever is determined to be the most cost effective. The total cost of such
policies or protection may be paid entirely by the locality or shared with the
employee. The governing body of any locality may provide for its retired
officers and retired employees to be eligible for such group life, accident,
and health insurance programs. The cost of such insurance for retired officers
and retired employees may be paid in whole or in part by the locality. The
governing body of any locality may permit members of approved volunteer fire or
rescue companies to participate in its group health insurance programs, subject
to the eligibility criteria established by the locality. The cost of a
volunteer's participation in such a health insurance program shall be paid for
in full by the participating volunteer.
B. In the event a county or city elects to provide one or more
of such programs for its officers and employees, it shall provide such programs
to the constitutional officers and their employees on the same basis as
provided to other officers and employees, unless the constitutional officers
and employees are covered under a state program, and the cost of such local
program shall be borne entirely by the locality or shared with the employee.
C. 1. Except as otherwise provided herein, in the event the
governing body of any locality elects to provide group accident and health
insurance for its officers and employees, including constitutional officers and
their employees, such programs shall require that upon retirement, or upon the
effective date of this provision for those who have previously retired, any
such individual with (i) at least 15 years of continuous employment with the
locality or (ii) less than 15 years of continuous employment who has retired
due to line-of-duty injuries may choose to continue his coverage with the
insurer at the retiree's expense until such individual attains 65 years of age
at the insurer's customary premium rate applicable: (i) (a)
to such policies, (ii) (b) to the class of risk to which the
person then belongs, and (iii) (c) to his age.
2. The governing body, when providing this coverage, may
further provide that the retiree be rated separately from the active employees
covered under the group plan offered by such governing body.
3. Any locality which that has not offered the
opportunity to continue group health coverage provided by the locality as
required by subdivision C 1 to its retirees who had retired on or before
June 30, 1993, and who meet the criteria for such coverage as set forth in
subdivision C 1, shall do so by July 1, 2000. Any retiree from the
service of a locality who had retired on or before June 30, 1993, and who meets
the criteria to continue his group health coverage from the locality under
subdivision C 1 who has not yet elected to continue his group health
coverage from the locality shall elect whether to do so by July 1, 2000.
4. Nothing herein shall prohibit a locality from providing
group accident and health coverage or benefits for its retirees in addition to that
which is the coverage required under this section.
D. Any locality which that offers group health
plans to its employees and the employees of constitutional officers and its
retirees, as provided by this section or otherwise, may provide in the plan
providing such coverage that any retiree who is participating in a group health
plan provided by the locality who subsequently terminates his participation in
such plan may not thereafter rejoin a group health plan provided by the
locality.
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