(a) Any board of education, institution, or other employer with employees as defined by Section 16-25A-1, may, upon a majority vote of its employees, elect not to participate in the basic medical plan authorized by the provisions of this article; provided, however, that for any fiscal year ending September 30 the Legislature appropriates the full amount certified pursuant to Section 16-25A-8(b), the board shall declare the plan of insurance coverage to be fully state-funded whereupon all employees of any board of education, institution, or other employer as defined hereinabove shall for that fiscal year and all subsequent fiscal years be declared members of the Public Education Employees' Health Insurance Plan.

(b) Any employer electing not to participate in the basic medical plan shall certify to the board the names of their employees otherwise electing hospital/medical coverage. The board shall disburse monthly to each employer so electing, the amount appropriated per individual by the Legislature so certified in accordance with such rules and regulations as the board shall adopt; such amount shall be used to purchase plan(s) as approved by election of the majority of the participating employees; provided, however, any funds not so used in the fiscal year shall revert to the fund.

(c) Once an employer has elected not to participate in the basic medical plan authorized by this article, such employer may subsequently elect, under such rules and regulations and at such times as the board shall prescribe, to participate in the basic medical plan authorized by this article; participation, once elected, is irrevocable.