52:14-17.32i. Health benefits, certain; law enforcement retirants, certain

1. a. A qualified retiree from the Police and Firemen's Retirement System of New Jersey (C.43:16A-1 et seq.), hereinafter referred to as PFRS, the Consolidated Police and Firemen's Pension Fund (C.43:16-1 et seq.), hereinafter referred to as CPFPF, or the Public Employees' Retirement System of New Jersey (C.43:15A-1 et seq.), hereinafter referred to as PERS, and dependents, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1961, c.49 (C.52:14-17.26), of a qualified retiree, are eligible to participate in the program, in accordance with the law and rules governing the program, except as otherwise provided by this act, regardless of whether the retiree's employer participated in the program.

A qualified retiree is a retiree who:

(1) retired on a benefit based on 25 or more years of service credit in PFRS or CPFPF, or in PERS as a law enforcement officer as defined in section 1 of P.L.1955, c.257 (C.43:15A-97) or in a position eligible for participation in PFRS as provided in section 9 of P.L.1989, c.204 (C.43:16A-1.2); or

(2) retired on a disability retirement under PFRS or CPFPF, or under PERS as a law enforcement officer or in a position eligible for participation in PFRS, based on fewer years of service credit; and

(3) was eligible to receive health benefits coverage at the expense of the employer of the person immediately preceding retirement.

b. The State shall pay the amount of the premium or periodic charges for the coverage for the qualified retiree and dependents, but not including survivors, equal to 80 percent of the premium or periodic charges for the category of coverage elected by the qualified retiree under the State managed care plan or a health maintenance organization participating in the program which provides services in the 21 counties in the State, whichever provides the lower premium or periodic charge. The qualified retiree shall pay the difference between the premium or periodic charge for the coverage and the amount paid by the State.

c. The State Health Benefits Commission shall annually certify to the State the cost for providing health benefits coverage to qualified retirees and their dependents under this section. The State shall annually remit to the commission the amount certified at a time specified by the State Treasurer.

d. The provisions of this section shall not apply to (1) a retired State employee whose premium or periodic charges for benefits under the program are paid by the State pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1961, c.49 (C.52:14-17.32) or section 6 of P.L.1996, c.8 (C.52:14-17.28b); and (2) a retiree of an employer other than the State which pays the premium or periodic charges for health care benefits for eligible retirees pursuant to section 7 of P.L.1964, c.125 (C.52:14-17.38) or N.J.S.40A:10-23 on the effective date of P.L.1997, c.330 (C.52:14-17.32i et al.).

L.1997,c.330,s.1.