(A) Except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section, the board of the school employees retirement system shall make available to each retirant or disability benefit recipient receiving a monthly allowance or benefit on or after January 1, 1968, who has attained the age of sixty-five years, and who is not eligible to receive hospital insurance benefits under the federal old age, survivors, and disability insurance program, hospital insurance coverage substantially equivalent to the federal hospital insurance benefits, "Social Security Amendments of 1965," 79 Stat. 291, 42 U.S.C.A. 1395c, as amended. This coverage shall also be made available to the spouse, widow, or widower of such retirant or disability benefit recipient provided such spouse, widow, or widower has attained age sixty-five and is not eligible to receive hospital insurance benefits under the federal old age, survivors, and disability insurance program. The widow or widower of a retirant or disability benefit recipient shall be eligible for such coverage only if he or she is the recipient of a monthly allowance or benefit from this system. Not less than twenty-five per cent of the cost for such coverage shall be paid from the appropriate funds of the school employees retirement system and the remainder by the recipient of the allowance or benefit. The cost of such coverage, paid from the funds of the system, shall be included in the employer's rate provided by sections 3309.49 and 3309.51 of the Revised Code. The retirement board is authorized to make all necessary rules pursuant to the purpose and intent of this section, and shall contract for such coverage as provided in section 3309.69 of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding sections 3309.49 and 3309.51 of the Revised Code, the employer's contribution rate shall not be increased until July 1, 1969, or later to reflect the increased costs created by this section.

(B) The board need not make the hospital insurance coverage described in division (A) of this section available to any person for whom it is prohibited by section 3309.69 of the Revised Code from paying or reimbursing the cost of such insurance.

Effective Date: 07-29-1992.