MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Insurance; Appropriations

By: Representatives Horne, Stevens, Robinson (84th)

AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 25-15-303, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CREATE A STATE AND PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES HEALTH INSURANCE MANAGEMENT BOARD; TO DEFINE THE BOARD'S DUTIES AND MEMBERSHIP; TO PROVIDE FOR THE SELECTION OF A STATE INSURANCE ADMINISTRATOR; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE STAFFING TO THE BOARD; TO AMEND SECTIONS 25-15-3 AND 25-15-251, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DEFINE THE TERM "BOARD"; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as Section 25-15-303, Mississippi Code of 1972:

25-15-303. (1) There is created the State and Public School Employees Health Insurance Management Board, which shall administer the State Employees Life and Health Insurance Plan provided for under Section 25-15-3 et seq., and the Public School Employees Health Insurance Plans created under Section 25-15-251 et seq. The State and Public School Employees Health Insurance Management Board, hereafter referred to as the "board," shall also be responsible for administering all procedures for selecting third-party administrators provided for in Section 25-15-301. Whenever the term "department," "Department of Finance and Administration," or "board," appears in Sections 25-15-3 et seq., 25-15-251 et seq., and 25-15-301, such term means the State and Public School Employees Health Insurance Management Board.

(2) The board shall consist of the following elected state officers and appointed officials:

(a) The Attorney General or his designee;

(b) The Commissioner of Insurance or his designee;

(c) The Commissioner of Higher Education or his designee;

(d) The State Superintendent of Education or his designee; and

(e) The Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration.

The Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration shall be the chairman of the board.

(3) The board shall meet at least monthly and maintain minutes of such meetings. The board shall have the sole authority to promulgate rules and regulations governing the operations of the insurance plans and shall be vested with all legal authority necessary and proper to perform this function including, but not limited to:

(a) Defining the scope and coverages provided by the insurance plans;

(b) Seeking proposals for services or insurance through competitive processes where required by law and selecting service providers or insurers under procedures provided for by law; and

(c) Developing and adopting strategic plans and budgets for the insurance plans.

The board shall also employ a State Insurance Administrator, who shall be responsible for the day-to-day management and administration of the insurance plans. The Department of Finance and Administration shall provide to the board on a full-time basis personnel and technical support necessary and sufficient to effectively and efficiently carry out the requirements of this section.

(4) Members of the board shall not receive any compensation or per diem, but may receive travel reimbursement provided for under Section 25-3-41.

SECTION 2. Section 25-15-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

25-15-3. For the purposes of this article, the words and phrases used herein shall have the following meanings:

(a) "Employee" means a person who works full time for the State of Mississippi and receives his compensation in a direct payment from a department, agency or institution of the state government. This shall include legislators, employees of the legislative branch and the judicial branch of the state and "employees" shall include full-time salaried judges and full-time district attorneys and their staff and full-time compulsory school attendance officers. For the purposes of this article, any "employee" making contributions to the State of Mississippi retirement plan shall be considered a full-time employee.

(b) "Board" means the State and Public School Employees Health Insurance Management Board. Whenever the term "department," "Department of Finance and Administration," or "board" appears in this article, such term means the State and Public School Employees Health Insurance Management Board.

(c) "Plan" means the State Employees Life and Health Insurance Plan created under this article.

(d) "Fund" means the State Employees Insurance Fund set up under this article.

(e) "Retiree" means any person retired under the Mississippi retirement plan.

SECTION 3. Section 25-15-251, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

25-15-251. For the purposes of this article, the words and phrases used herein shall have the following meanings:

(a) "Employee" means a person who works full time for any school district, community/junior college, public library or university-based program authorized under Section 37-23-31 for deaf, aphasic and emotionally disturbed children, or any regular nonstudent school bus driver.

(b) "Board" means the State and Public School Employees Health Insurance Management Board. Whenever the term "department," "Department of Finance and Administration," or "board" appears in this article, such term means the State and Public School Employees Health Insurance Management Board.

(c) "Plan" means the Public School Employees Health Insurance Plan created under this article.

(d) "Retiree" means any retired employee as defined in this section who is enrolled on April 12, 1991, in a group health insurance plan offered by the individual school district or community/junior college district, and those active employees who may subsequently retire from employment after April 12, 1991.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1997.