06 LC
14 9374
House
Bill 1425
By:
Representatives Porter of the
143rd,
Hugley of the
133rd,
Smyre of the
132nd,
Randall of the
138th,
Orrock of the
58th,
and others
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education,
and Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to public
officers and employees, so as to change provisions relating to the health
insurance plans for public school teachers, public school employees, and state
employees; to provide that certain features of such plans shall not be changed
without prior legislative approval; to provide for other matters related to the
foregoing; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for
other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Title
20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, is amended
by striking Code Section 20-2-883, relating to the health insurance plan for
public school teachers, and inserting in its place a new Code section to read as
follows:
"20-2-883.
(a)
The health insurance plan shall be designed by the board to:
(1)
Provide a reasonable relationship between the hospital, surgical, and medical
benefits to be included and the expected distribution of expenses of each such
type to be incurred by the covered employees and dependents; and
(2)
Include reasonable controls, which may include deductible and coinsurance
provisions applicable to some or all of the benefits, to reduce unnecessary
utilization of the various hospital, surgical, and medical services to be
provided and to provide reasonable assurance of stability in future years of the
plan.
(b)
On and after the effective date of this subsection, any of the following types
of changes in the plan shall require prior legislative approval:
(1)
Any increase in the amount of premiums charged to covered
employees;
(2)
Any premium surcharges or other additional fees charged by the plan to covered
employees;
(3)
Any increase in the deductibles or copayments payable by covered employees;
and
(4)
Any increase in the proportion of covered prescription drug costs payable by
covered employees.
The
prior legislative approval required under this subsection shall be by Act of the
General Assembly or the adoption of a joint resolution of the General
Assembly."
SECTION
2.
Said
title is further amended by striking Code Section 20-2-913, relating to the
health insurance plan for public school employees, and inserting in its place a
new Code section to read as follows:
"20-2-913.
(a)
The health insurance plan shall be designed by the board to:
(1)
Provide a reasonable relationship between the hospital, surgical, and medical
benefits to be included and the expected distribution of expenses of each such
type to be incurred by the covered employees and dependents; and
(2)
Include reasonable controls, which may include deductible and coinsurance
provisions applicable to some or all of the benefits, to reduce unnecessary
utilization of the various hospital, surgical, and medical services to be
provided, and to provide reasonable assurance of stability in future years of
the plan.
(b)
On and after the effective date of this subsection, any of the following types
of changes in the plan shall require prior legislative approval:
(1)
Any increase in the amount of premiums charged to covered
employees;
(2)
Any premium surcharges or other additional fees charged by the plan to covered
employees;
(3)
Any increase in the deductibles or copayments payable by covered employees;
and
(4)
Any increase in the proportion of covered prescription drug costs payable by
covered employees.
The
prior legislative approval required under this subsection shall be by Act of the
General Assembly or the adoption of a joint resolution of the General
Assembly."
SECTION
3.
Title
45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to public officers and
employees, is amended by striking Code Section 45-18-3, relating to the health
insurance plan for state employees, and inserting in its place a new Code
section to read as follows:
"45-18-3.
(a)
The health insurance plan shall be designed by the board to:
(1)
Provide a reasonable relationship between the hospital, surgical, and medical
benefits to be included and the expected distribution of expenses of each such
type to be incurred by the covered employees and dependents; and
(2)
Include reasonable controls, which may include deductible and reinsurance
provisions applicable to some or all of the benefits, to reduce unnecessary
utilization of the various hospital, surgical, and medical services to be
provided and to provide reasonable assurance of stability in future years of the
plan.
(b)
On and after the effective date of this subsection, any of the following types
of changes in the plan shall require prior legislative approval:
(1)
Any increase in the amount of premiums charged to covered
employees;
(2)
Any premium surcharges or other additional fees charged by the plan to covered
employees;
(3)
Any increase in the deductibles or copayments payable by covered employees;
and
(4)
Any increase in the proportion of covered prescription drug costs payable by
covered employees.
The
prior legislative approval required under this subsection shall be by Act of the
General Assembly or the adoption of a joint resolution of the General
Assembly."
SECTION
4.
This
Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its
becoming law without such approval.
SECTION
5.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.