(a) Definition. In this section, "public entity" has the meaning stated in the Insurance Article, § 19-602, of the State Code.
(b) Pooling agreements. On behalf of the County, the County Executive may make agreements with one or more public entities to pool together for the purpose of providing a group health plan for employees and retirees, including insuring health risks as provided in the Insurance Article, §§ 19-601, 19-602, and 19-603, of the State Code and purchasing health care services.
(c) Agreement terms and conditions. Any agreement made by the County Executive under this section shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:
(1) each public entity must agree that, on behalf of the public entity and the County, the County has the exclusive right to procure the services of and enter into agreements with health insurers or health care service providers;
(2) the County shall provide overall administration of the group health plan for itself and each public entity, and each public entity shall pay an administrative fee, as determined appropriate by the Chief Administrative Officer, for the administrative services provided by the County;
(3) the County and each public entity shall be responsible for payment of the full premium or other cost for each of its respective employees or retirees for health insurance or health care services, subject to the right of the County and each public entity to allocate a share of the cost to its employees and retirees;
(4) the County may require the public entity to submit evidence of its ability to pay its share of costs;
(5) each public entity shall pay its share of costs to the County in the amount, at the time, and in the manner directed by the County;
(6) upon the failure of a public entity to timely pay its share of costs, the County may terminate the agreement with respect to that public entity and recover the costs due and owing at the time of termination; and
(7) under any agreement that the County makes for health insurance, if the County is required to pay to the insurer additional moneys at the conclusion of the term of the insurance contract, each public entity shall reimburse the County a share of the moneys paid, determined by apportioning the payment on a per-covered-employee basis.
(d) Establishment of group health plan. On behalf of itself and each public entity with which it has a pooling agreement, the County may establish a group health plan through the procurement of health insurance or health care services and provide overall administration of the group health plan.
(1985 Code, Art. 8, § 1-307.1) (Bill No. 46-93; Bill No. 23-04)