The survivor medical plan premium subsidy authorized in this section shall be provided, on the terms set forth herein, to Eligible Survivors of members or retirees, as defined below, who are enrolled in medical plans administered by the Board as part of the Medical Plan Program.
(a) Eligible Survivors. The following persons shall be Eligible Survivors for purposes of this section:
(1) A person who is receiving a monthly benefit as an eligible survivor as provided in Sections 4.1011, 4.1012 or 4.1013(a)(1) or (2) of this Code shall become eligible, as an Eligible Survivor, for the medical plan premium subsidy provided in this section either on the date of the deceased’s death, if the deceased was eligible for a medical plan premium subsidy at that time, or on the date the deceased would have become eligible for a medical plan premium subsidy had the deceased not died, based upon the deceased’s Service.
(2) A surviving spouse or domestic partner who elects to receive the monthly benefit provided in Section 4.1010, Subsection (a)(3) of this Code shall become eligible, as an Eligible Survivor, for the medical plan premium subsidy provided in this section either on the date of the deceased’s death, if the deceased was eligible for a medical plan premium subsidy at that time, or on the date the deceased would have become eligible for a medical plan premium subsidy had the deceased not died, based upon the deceased’s Service.
A surviving spouse or domestic partner who is receiving a monthly benefit due to a retiree’s election to provide a continuance benefit funded solely by a reduction in the retiree’s retirement allowance shall not be an Eligible Survivor for purposes of this section.
(b) Subsidy for Eligible Survivors without Medicare Part A. The survivor medical plan premium subsidy for an Eligible Survivor who either is not eligible for Medicare or does not qualify for benefits under Part A of Medicare premium free shall be:
(1) Basic Monthly Subsidy. For one (1) to ten (10) whole years of the member’s Service Credit, forty percent (40%) of the maximum monthly medical plan premium subsidy amount established in this subsection.
(2) Additional Monthly Subsidy. For each additional whole year of the member’s Service Credit in excess of ten (10) whole years, add four percent (4%) of the maximum monthly medical plan premium subsidy to the Basic Monthly Subsidy.
(3) Maximum Monthly Subsidy. The maximum monthly medical plan premium subsidy shall be the single-party premium for the lowest cost standard plan, as defined by the Board, available to participants without Medicare Parts A and B.
(c) Subsidy for Eligible Survivors Enrolled in Parts A and B of Medicare. The survivor medical plan premium subsidy for an Eligible Survivor who qualifies for benefits under Part A and Part B of Medicare shall be:
(1) Monthly Subsidy (75%). For one (1) whole year of Service Credit, but less than fifteen (15) whole years of Service Credit, seventy-five (75%) of the single-party monthly premium of the approved Medicare supplemental or coordinated plan in which the Eligible Survivor is enrolled.
(2) Monthly Subsidy (90%). For fifteen (15) whole years or more but less than twenty (20) years of the member’s Service Credit, ninety percent (90%) of the single-party monthly premium of the approved Medicare supplemental or coordinated plan in which the Eligible Survivor is enrolled.
(3) Monthly subsidy (100%). For twenty (20) or more whole years of the member’s Service Credit, one hundred percent (100%) of the single-party monthly premium of the approved Medicare supplemental or coordinated plan in which the Eligible Survivor is enrolled.
(d) Medicare Enrollment. Eligible Survivors who are eligible to enroll in Medicare Part B must do so in order to receive the subsidy provided in this section. An Eligible Survivor who is age sixty-five (65) or older must enroll in Medicare as required by the Board in order to receive the subsidy authorized in this Section, except that Eligible Survivors who are not entitled to premium free Part A of Medicare are not required to enroll in Part A.
(e) Limitation on Increases. Effective July 1, 2011, no increases in the amounts paid to the medical plan carriers under Subsections (b) and (c) of this section shall be provided on behalf of survivors of members retired on or after July 1, 2011, or on behalf of survivors of members who die on or after July 1, 2011, prior to retirement, except that survivors of former members who terminated employment prior to July 1, 2011, and either died prior to retirement or retired on or after July 1, 2011, on a deferred vested basis without returning to membership shall be entitled to increases, as provided in Subsections (b) and (c) of this section, regardless of the date of retirement. Notwithstanding all of the foregoing, increases in the amounts paid on behalf of survivors of members subject to Section 4.1111, Subsection (c) shall be governed by the provisions of Subsection (b) and (c) of this section, as applicable, regardless of the date of the member’s retirement or death.
SECTION HISTORY
Added by Ord. No. 182,629, Eff. 7-25-13.
Amended by: Ord. No. 184,134, Eff. 1-22-16; Subsec. (b)(3), Ord. No. 184,853, Eff. 4-6-17..