67A.345 Continued health insurance eligibility for retirees -- Benefits -- Payments made to provider -- Group rates for spouses, dependents, and disabled children. (1) All members of the policemen's and firefighters' retirement fund of the urban- county government, operated pursuant to KRS 67A.360 to 67A.690, and all members of the urban-county government city employees pension fund who retired prior to July 1, 1999, and who did not terminate their participation in the group health insurance plan provided by the urban-county government before that date, and all members who retire on or after July 1, 1999, or who withdrew from service on a certificate prior to September 18, 2002, or who withdraw on a certificate as provided by KRS 67A.410(3)(a) or (b), shall continue to be eligible to participate, at the member's cost, in a group health insurance plan approved by the urban-county council for such retirees. (2) The urban-county government shall provide, on behalf of all eligible members of the policemen's and firefighters' retirement fund and city employees pension, the following benefits: (a) A sum equal to the single premium for the plan coverage selected by the retiree, but not more than one hundred percent (100%) of the urban-county government's contribution to the health insurance component of the benefit pool for current urban-county government employees; and (b) Upon the death of a member of the policemen's and firefighters' retirement fund due to occupational causes, the urban-county government shall pay to the approved provider of the group health insurance plan one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of the family medical coverage for the member's surviving spouse and dependent children as long as they remain eligible for a monthly retirement allowance from the retirement fund. (3) No benefits shall be available under this section to retired members who were not, immediately prior to July 1, 1999, participants in the group health insurance plan coverage provided to urban-county government employees and retirees or who retire on or after July 1, 1999, and, at the time of their retirement, do not elect to participate in the group health insurance plan coverage provided pursuant to subsection (1) of this section. (4) Benefits shall be available under this section to members of the policemen's and firefighters' retirement fund who: (a) Prior to September 18, 2002, withdrew from service on a certificate when they attain the age of forty-six (46) years if, at the time they withdrew from service, they elected to participate in the group health insurance plan coverage provided pursuant to subsection (1) of this section upon attaining age forty-six (46); (b) Withdraw on a certificate entitling them to a pension benefit at the age of forty-one (41) as provided by KRS 67A.410(3)(a) if, at the time they withdraw from service, they elect to participate in the group health insurance plan coverage provided pursuant to subsection (1) of this section upon attaining age forty-one (41); or (c) Withdraw on a certificate entitling them to a pension benefit at the age of fifty (50) as provided by KRS 67A.410(3)(b) if, at the time they withdraw from service, they elect to participate in the group health insurance plan coverage provided pursuant to subsection (1) of this section upon attaining age fifty (50). (5) All payments shall be made to the approved provider of the group health insurance plan, not to the retiree, and the retiree shall not be entitled to receive any portion of the government contribution remaining after payment is made to the approved provider. (6) Group rates under the group health insurance plan approved by the urban-county council under subsection (1) of this section shall be made available to the spouse, dependents, and disabled children, regardless of the disabled child's age, of a qualified and participating retiree, if the premium for the spouse, dependent, or disabled child is paid by the retired member, spouse, dependent, or disabled child, by payroll deduction or similar method. Effective: March 14, 2013 History: Amended 2013 Ky. Acts ch. 7, sec. 1, effective March 14, 2013. -- Amended 2006 Ky. Acts ch. 144, sec. 1, effective April 4, 2006. -- Created 2002 Ky. Acts ch. 274, sec. 8, effective July 15, 2002.