HB6170 Summary

• Grants the Director of Central Management Services power to adopt emergency rules to alter health insurance contributions by the State, annuitants, survivors, and retired employees under the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971.

• Deletes definitions for "New SERS annuitant," "New SURS annuitant," "New TRS State annuitant," and corresponding survivor categories, eliminating the prior 5% contribution formula based on years of creditable service.

• Replaces the fixed contribution structure with an annual determination by the Director based on a sliding scale considering length of service, ability to pay, pension income, Medicare eligibility, and SURS optional retirement elections.

• Establishes that contributions must be identical across all retirement systems (SERS, SURS, TRS, and others) and prohibits decreases from what annuitants, survivors, or retired employees paid in State fiscal year 2012.

• Effective July 1, 2012, with emergency rulemaking authority granted to facilitate program maintenance.