(A) Retiree insurance.
(1) (a) The city shall contribute 80% of the monthly premium for full-time employees, appointed employees*, and elected officials hired** prior to January 1, 2018. The city shall contribute 50% of the monthly premium for full-time employees, appointed employees*, and elected officials hired or rehired** or rehired on or after January 1, 2018. Council members who are hired on or after January 1, 2024 are not eligible for this benefit. The city’s premium contribution will be applied towards a family, employee plus one, or single plan, for retirees who have 20 years of active full-time service (not necessarily consecutive) with the city or appointed employees* and elected officials who have served at least two four-year terms (not necessarily consecutive) and/or a total of eight years until the eligible participant is 65 years of age. Once an employee or elected official has met the above criteria he/she will be considered eligible to continue his/her coverage under the City's Health Insurance Plan. His/her eligibility will not change in the event of a position/job change.
(b) When the eligible participant becomes 65 years of age, his or her covered spouse, if already on the plan, will be eligible to continue his/her coverage through the City's Health Insurance Plan until the covered spouse becomes Medicare eligible. In addition, covered dependents, already on the plan, will be eligible to continue their coverage through the City's Health Insurance Plan until they cease to be considered a dependent as outlined in the City's Health Insurance Benefit Plan. The covered spouse and/or dependents should refer to the City's Health Plan Document and the Department of Labor for information on the eligibility of continued health coverage under COBRA.
(c) *Appointed employees refers to individuals identified in the city’s applicable salary ordinance or the ordinance concerning health benefits for certain retired and appointed/elected officials in place at the time of the appointed employee’s employment with the city. A Board of Public Works member is an appointed employee if there were appointed on or before January 1, 2020.
(d) **When referring to an “elected official” the date an official is “hired” is the date their first term as an elected official commenced.
(2) (a) The city will contribute 80%, regardless of hire date, of up to the family premium for a city employee/elected official who is totally disabled or killed in the performance of his or her assigned duties. The employee/elected official must meet Police and Fire Pension Plans/Civilian PERF disability requirements in order to qualify for the disability benefit. This coverage must be maintained continuously by the employee/elected official or their dependents from the date of his or her death or disability.
(b) In the event an employee/elected official is killed in the performance of his or her assigned duties, his or her spouse, if already on the plan, may continue his or her benefits until Medicare eligible. Dependents of the employee/elected official killed in the performance of his or her assigned duties may continue their coverage, if already on the plan, until they cease to be considered dependents as outlined in the City's Health Insurance Summary Plan Description.
(3) In the event an eligible employee/elected official dies and/or is killed after the completion of the requirements described in division (A)(1) above, his or her spouse, if already on the plan, may continue his or her benefits until Medicare eligible. Dependents of the eligible employee/elected official who dies and/or is killed may continue their coverage, if already on the plan, until they cease to be considered dependents as outlined in the City's Health Insurance Summary Plan Description.
(4) The persons described in divisions (A)(1), (A)(2) and (A)(3) above may continue vision and dental coverage, if already on the plan, in addition to the medical insurance herein by paying 20% of the cost of the vision and dental benefit. The vision and dental coverage may be continued after the covered participant and/or spouse reaches 65 years of age until death. However, the vision and dental coverage may not be continued for covered dependents on the plan beyond the period of time they are considered a dependent as outlined in the City's Health Insurance Benefit Plan.
(5) Employees and elected officials, after the completion of the eligibility requirements as described in division (A)(1) above, may continue their life insurance coverage by paying 100% of the cost of the life insurance benefit. The life insurance coverage may be continued after the covered participant reaches 65 years of age until death.
(6) Only employees/elected officials and their eligible dependents enrolled in the City of Noblesville's Medical, Vision and/or Dental Insurance package at the time of their retirement, death, or disability; and who maintain coverage continuously from the date of their retirement, death, or disability, are eligible for benefits under this section. If an employee/elected official is not enrolled in the City of Noblesville's Medical, Vision and/or Dental Insurance package, they must enroll during open enrollment in the year prior to retirement, death, or disability to be eligible for this benefit.
(7) The Board of Public Works and Safety may grant the benefit to employees/elected officials who do not meet the standards presented in this section if they feel that the circumstances surrounding the request warrant the granting of the benefit. Any request for special consideration must be presented to the Board of Works in writing by the employee/elected official or their family detailing the circumstances surrounding the request prior to Board of Works recommendation to the Council.
(B) Medicare Supplement Coverage for Eligible Retirees at Age 65 and hired prior to January 1, 2018. Employees and elected officials hired or rehired on or after January 1, 2018 are not eligible.
(1) The city shall contribute 80% of the monthly premium for an employee or elected official, after the completion of the eligibility requirements as described in division (A)(1) above, for city-designated Medicare Supplement Plans. Spouse and dependents of the retiree are not eligible.
(2) It is the sole responsibility of the eligible employee/elected official to contact the city's designated agent and enroll in the plan. The eligible employee/elected official is not eligible to enroll for coverage at a later date if he/she fails to accept the city's coverage or does not enroll immediately after he/she is no longer eligible for coverage under the City's Health Insurance Plan due to reaching the age of 65 or immediately after retirement if the retiree is age 65 or older. The employee/elected official must accept continuation of the city's coverage at the time of retirement if they retire before the age of 65. Failure to accept the continuation of coverage will result in their request being denied at any future date. The issuance of coverage will be of the sole discretion of the insurance carriers and the city in no way commits to the coverage being approved.
(3) Eligible employees/elected officials do not have to have been enrolled in the City of Noblesville's Health Plan to be eligible for the Medicare Supplement benefit. However, the retiree must be in a full-time, appointed, or elected position on or after January 1, 2007 and hired on or before January 1, 2018 to qualify and must be Medicare eligible at the time or retirement. In addition, a retiree hired on or before January 1, 2018, who has maintained his/her participation in and are enrolled in the city's medical plan as of January 1, 2007 qualifies for the Medicare Supplement benefit.
(C) Eligible employees/elected officials premium payments.
(1) Eligible employees/elected officials who elect to continue their life insurance coverage must submit the annual premium payment to the city by January 1 of each year. Life insurance premiums are paid on a yearly basis. If payment is not received by January 30, a certified letter will be sent to the member's home address on file notifying the member he/she has 15 calendar days to submit the annual premium payment. If payment is not received by the date stated on the certified letter, their life insurance policy will be terminated.
(2) Eligible employees/elected officials enrolled in the City's Medical, Dental, and/or Vision Insurance package and/or Medicare Supplement Plans must submit premium payments to the city by the first of every month for coverage for that month. If payment is not received by the 30th of the month in which it is due, a certified letter will be sent to the member's home address on file notifying the member he/she has 15 calendar days to submit payment. If payment is not received by the date stated on the certified letter, retiree coverage will be terminated for the member and all covered dependents. This division (C)(2) does not apply to members who have insurance premiums withheld from their Police and Fire Pension Fund except if the premium amount due exceeds the maximum amount that may be withheld from their pension.
(Ord. 45-12-99, passed 12-27-99; Am. Ord. 18-4-00, passed 4-10-00; Am. Ord. 56-8-03, passed 8-26- 03; Am. Ord. 55-8-05, passed 8-23-05; Am. Ord. 85-10-06, passed 10-24-06; Am. Ord. 8-2-07, passed 2-16-07; Am. Ord. 17-4-08, passed 4-29-08; Am. Ord. 10-02-14, passed 2-11-14; Am. Ord. 10-02-15, passed 2-10-15; Am. Ord. 41-10-17, passed 10-24-17; Am. Ord. 83-12-21, passed 12-21-21; Am. Ord. 33-09-23, passed 10-24-23)