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SENATE BILL NO. 30
IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
BY SENATOR BEGICH
Introduced: 1/25/21
Referred: Health & Social Services, Labor & Commerce, Finance
A BILL
FOR AN ACT ENTITLED
1 "An Act requiring that a policy of group health insurance covering certain public
2 employee and teacher retirees include coverage for colorectal cancer screening."
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
4 * Section 1. AS 39.30.090(a) is amended to read:
5 (a) The Department of Administration may obtain a policy or policies of group
6 insurance covering state employees, persons entitled to coverage under AS 14.25.168,
7 14.25.480, AS 22.25.090, AS 39.35.535, 39.35.880, or former AS 39.37.145,
8 employees of other participating governmental units, or persons entitled to coverage
9 under AS 23.15.136, subject to the following conditions:
10 (1) a group insurance policy shall provide one or more of the following
11 benefits: life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, weekly
12 indemnity insurance, hospital expense insurance, surgical expense insurance, dental
13 expense insurance, audiovisual insurance, or other medical care insurance;
14 (2) each eligible employee of the state, the spouse and the unmarried
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1 children chiefly dependent on the eligible employee for support, and each eligible
2 employee of another participating governmental unit shall be covered by the group
3 policy, unless exempt under regulations adopted by the commissioner of
4 administration;
5 (3) a governmental unit may participate under a group policy if
6 (A) its governing body adopts a resolution authorizing
7 participation and payment of required premiums;
8 (B) a certified copy of the resolution is filed with the
9 Department of Administration; and
10 (C) the commissioner of administration approves the
11 participation in writing;
12 (4) in procuring a policy of group health or group life insurance as
13 provided under this section or excess loss insurance as provided in AS 39.30.091, the
14 Department of Administration shall comply with the dual choice requirements of
15 AS 21.86.310, and shall obtain the insurance policy from an insurer authorized to
16 transact business in the state under AS 21.09, a hospital or medical service corporation
17 authorized to transact business in this state under AS 21.87, or a health maintenance
18 organization authorized to operate in this state under AS 21.86; an excess loss
19 insurance policy may be obtained from a life or health insurer authorized to transact
20 business in this state under AS 21.09 or from a hospital or medical service corporation
21 authorized to transact business in this state under AS 21.87;
22 (5) the Department of Administration shall make available bid
23 specifications for desired insurance benefits or for administration of benefit claims and
24 payments to (A) all insurance carriers authorized to transact business in this state
25 under AS 21.09 and all hospital or medical service corporations authorized to transact
26 business under AS 21.87 who are qualified to provide the desired benefits; and (B)
27 insurance carriers authorized to transact business in this state under AS 21.09, hospital
28 or medical service corporations authorized to transact business under AS 21.87, and
29 third-party administrators licensed to transact business in this state and qualified to
30 provide administrative services; the specifications shall be made available at least once
31 every five years; the lowest responsible bid submitted by an insurance carrier, hospital
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1 or medical service corporation, or third-party administrator with adequate servicing
2 facilities shall govern selection of a carrier, hospital or medical service corporation, or
3 third-party administrator under this section or the selection of an insurance carrier or a
4 hospital or medical service corporation to provide excess loss insurance as provided in
5 AS 39.30.091;
6 (6) if the aggregate of dividends payable under the group insurance
7 policy exceeds the governmental unit's share of the premium, the excess shall be
8 applied by the governmental unit for the sole benefit of the employees;
9 (7) a person receiving benefits under AS 14.25.110, AS 22.25,
10 AS 39.35, or former AS 39.37 may continue the life insurance coverage that was in
11 effect under this section at the time of termination of employment with the state or
12 participating governmental unit;
13 (8) a person electing to have insurance under (7) of this subsection
14 shall pay the cost of this insurance;
15 (9) for each permanent part-time employee electing coverage under
16 this section, the state shall contribute one-half the state contribution rate for permanent
17 full-time state employees, and the permanent part-time employee shall contribute the
18 other one-half;
19 (10) a person receiving benefits under AS 14.25, AS 22.25, AS 39.35,
20 or former AS 39.37 may obtain auditory, visual, and dental insurance for that person
21 and eligible dependents under this section; the level of coverage for persons over 65
22 shall be the same as that available before reaching age 65 except that the benefits
23 payable shall be supplemental to any benefits provided under the federal old age,
24 survivors, and disability insurance program; a person electing to have insurance under
25 this paragraph shall pay the cost of the insurance; the commissioner of administration
26 shall adopt regulations implementing this paragraph;
27 (11) a person receiving benefits under AS 14.25, AS 22.25, AS 39.35,
28 or former AS 39.37 may obtain long-term care insurance for that person and eligible
29 dependents under this section; a person who elects insurance under this paragraph
30 shall pay the cost of the insurance premium; the commissioner of administration shall
31 adopt regulations to implement this paragraph;
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1 (12) each licensee holding a current operating agreement for a vending
2 facility under AS 23.15.010 - 23.15.210 shall be covered by the group policy that
3 applies to governmental units other than the state;
4 (13) medical care insurance coverage obtained under this section
5 or provided under AS 39.30.091, for persons who receive benefits under
6 AS 14.25, AS 22.25, AS 39.35, or former AS 39.37 after termination of
7 employment with the state or a participating governmental unit, must include
8 coverage for colorectal cancer screening as required under AS 21.42.377.
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Statutes affected: SB0030A, AM SB 30, introduced 01/25/2021: 39.30.090