05 LC 33
0825
Senate
Bill 310
By: Senator Brown of the 26th
By: Senator Brown of the 26th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Chapter 18 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to the public employees´ insurance and benefits plans, so as to provide for
a sliding scale premium program based upon family income to ensure access to
affordable health care insurance for low_wage state employees and their
dependents; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for definitions; to
provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to provide for
applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Chapter
18 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the public
employees´ insurance and benefits plans, is amended by adding a new article
to the end of such chapter to read as follows:
"ARTICLE
6
45_18_90.
The
General Assembly finds and declares that a large proportion of state employees
and their dependents, particularly their children, do not currently have access
to adequate medical treatment and, further, that this lack of access can hinder
a person´s, and particularly a child´s, ability to reach his or her
full physical, social, professional, and educational potential. The General
Assembly further finds that although the Board of Community Health is authorized
to establish a health insurance plan for employees of the state, many low_wage
earning state employees are not able to afford to purchase coverage for
themselves and their dependents. The General Assembly further finds the
provision of adequate medical coverage for employees of the state and their
dependents to be in the public interest and further declares the establishment
of a sliding scale premium based upon family income pursuant to this article to
be a desirable and economical means of fostering enrollment in the health plan
by low and moderate income families.
45_18_91.
As
used in this chapter, the term:
(1)
'Eligible employee' means an employee, as defined by paragraph (2) of Code
Section 45_18_1, who is not eligible for medical assistance under Medicaid or
PeachCare and whose family income is below 235 percent of the federal poverty
level.
(2)
'Medicaid' means medical assistance provided under Article 7 of Chapter 4 of
Title 49, the 'Georgia Medical Assistance Act of 1977.'
(3)
'PeachCare' means the PeachCare for Kids program created by Code Section
49_5_273.
(4)
'PPO' means the preferred provider option health plan offered by the health
insurance plan for employees of the state pursuant to Article 1 of this chapter
and administered by the department.
(5)
'Sliding scale premium program' means the program created pursuant to this
article.
45_18_92.
(a)(1)
There is created within the health insurance plan for employees of the state,
established pursuant to Code Section 45_18_2, a sliding scale premium program
available to eligible employees to encourage the purchase of health insurance
coverage for the benefit of such eligible employees and their families.
Dependents of eligible employees shall include spouses and children from birth
through 18 years of age who are not eligible for medical assistance under
Medicaid or PeachCare.
(2)
Eligible employees in families with income below 133 percent of the federal
poverty level shall be eligible to enroll in the PPO health plan for family
coverage at a premium rate equal to or less than the premium rate for single
coverage for the PPO health plan.
(3)
Eligible employees in families with incomes between 133 percent and 235 percent
of the federal poverty level shall be eligible to enroll in the PPO health plan
for family coverage at rates that vary between the blended premium for 1.5
children under the most current PeachCare premium rate structure.
(b)
No entitlement to benefits for the employees or dependents covered under the
sliding scale premium program or this article shall be created by the program,
nor shall any rules or regulations adopted pursuant to this article be
interpreted to entitle any person to receive any health services or insurance
available under this program. The sliding scale premium program shall be
established subject to the availability of funds specifically appropriated by
the General Assembly for this purpose.
(c)
The department shall operate the sliding scale premium consistent with
administrative efficiency and the best interests of eligible employees of the
state and their
dependents."
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its
becoming law without such approval. This Act shall apply only to plans offered
on or after July 1, 2006.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.