1. If approved by the Board pursuant to this section, a group of not less than 300 active state officers or employees and retired state officers or employees that participate in the Program may leave the Program and secure life, accident or health insurance, or any combination thereof, for the group from an:

(a) Insurer that is authorized by the Commissioner of Insurance to provide such insurance; or

(b) Employee benefit plan, as defined in 29 U.S.C. § 1002(3), that has been approved by the Board. The Board may approve an employee benefit plan unless the Board finds that the plan is not operated pursuant to such sound accounting and financial management practices as to ensure that the group will continue to receive adequate benefits.

2. Before entering into a contract with the insurer or approved employee benefit plan, the group shall submit the proposed contract to the Board for approval. The Board may approve the contract unless the departure of the group from the Program would cause an increase of more than 5 percent in the costs of premiums or contributions for the remaining participants in the Program. In determining whether to approve a proposed contract, the Board shall follow the criteria set forth in the regulations adopted by the Board pursuant to subsection 5 and may consider the cumulative impact of groups that have left or are proposing to leave the Program. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Board has discretion in determining whether to approve a contract. If the Board approves a proposed contract pursuant to this subsection, the group that submitted the proposed contract is not authorized to leave the Program until 120 days after the date on which the Board approves the proposed contract.

3. The Board shall not approve a proposed contract between an insurer or approved employee benefit plan and a group pursuant to subsection 2 unless:

(a) The group is organized for reasons other than acquiring insurance;

(b) The members of the group share job definitions, classifications or employers, or are otherwise members of a job-related group formed for reasons other than acquiring insurance;

(c) The group has legal authority to enter into contracts and bind its members, meets the requirements of state and federal law concerning nondiscrimination, and has the ability to purchase insurance; and

(d) The group includes all active state officers and employees who satisfy the requirements of paragraph (b) for inclusion in the group and all retired state officers and employees who satisfied those requirements at the time of their retirement.

4. The Board shall disburse periodically to the insurer or employee benefit plan with which a group contracts pursuant to this section the total amount set forth in the contract for premiums or contributions for the members of the group for that period but not to exceed the amount appropriated to or authorized for the participating state agency that employs the members of the group for premiums or contributions for the members of the group for that period, after deducting any administrative costs related to the group.

5. The Board shall adopt regulations establishing the criteria pursuant to which the Board will approve proposed contracts pursuant to subsection 2.

(Added to NRS by 1999, 3025; A 2003, 3272; 2011, 906)