52:14-17.33a Participation in SHBP for certain part-time faculty, adjuncts.

1. a. Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1961, c.49 (C.52:14-17.25 et seq.) to the contrary, a part-time State employee, or a part-time faculty member, including part-time lecturers and adjunct faculty members, at a State public institution of higher education in this State if the public institution of higher education participates in the program, who is enrolled in a State-administered retirement system shall be eligible to participate in the State Health Benefits Program and may purchase health benefits coverage under the program in the State managed care plan as defined in section 2 of P.L.1961, c.49 (C.52:14-17.26) for the employee or faculty member and the dependents of the employee or faculty member. If such an employee or faculty member elects to enroll in the program, the employee or faculty member shall pay the full cost of the coverage selected and the employer shall not be responsible for any costs in connection with the purchase of the coverage, unless the employer shall be obligated to pay all or a portion of such costs in accordance with the provisions of a binding collective negotiations agreement.

b. The State Health Benefits Commission may establish rules and regulations concerning the enrollment and termination of coverage of employees and faculty members in the State Health Benefits Program, pursuant to this section, and the procedures for the remittance to the program of the cost of coverage.

The employee or faculty member shall also be required to pay a proportionate share of administrative expenses of the program in such amounts and at such times as shall be determined and fixed by the commission. Amounts payable by a participating employee or faculty member for administrative expenses shall be collected in the same manner as premiums or periodic charges are paid and remitted to the State treasury and shall be used for such purposes.

c. The laws and regulations governing the State Health Benefits Program, except as modified in this section, are applicable to enrollments in the program under this section and shall be construed to apply to part-time employees or faculty members and their dependents in the same manner as to full-time employees or faculty members and their dependents to the extent possible.

d. Participation in the State Health Benefits Program pursuant to this section shall not qualify the employee or faculty member for employer or State-paid health care benefits in retirement in the program. Upon retirement, such employees or faculty members shall be permitted to enroll in the State managed care plan they were enrolled in prior to retirement through the retired group at their own expense.

e. The State Health Benefits Commission shall advise eligible employees, and the State public institutions of higher education shall advise eligible faculty members, that they may enroll in the State Health Benefits Program pursuant to this section and shall further advise eligible employees and faculty members, as may be appropriate, of any benefits to which they are entitled upon the termination of their employment. The State Health Benefits Commission shall determine the manner and form of the advisory notice to the employees and faculty members.

L.2003, c.172, s.1; amended 2007, c.103, s.27.