As Introduced

128th General Assembly
Regular Session
2009-2010
S. B. No. 34


Senator Miller, D. 

Cosponsors: Senators Turner, Roberts, Miller, R., Fedor, Sawyer 

A BILL
To enact section 124.824 of the Revised Code to 1
require the Department of Administrative Services 2
to create a health insurance program that allows 3
municipal corporations, small employers, and 4
nonprofit corporations or associations to purchase 5
for their employees the same policies or contracts 6
provided to state employees.7


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       Section 1. That section 124.824 of the Revised Code be 8
enacted to read as follows:9

       Sec. 124.824. (A) As used in this section:10

       (1) "Eligible employee" means an employee employed in this 11
state who works a normal work week of twenty-five or more hours 12
and at least forty weeks per year. "Eligible employee" does not 13
include a temporary or substitute employee, or a seasonal employee 14
who works only part of the calendar year on the basis of natural 15
or suitable times or circumstances.16

       (2) "Small employer" means an employer who employed an 17
average of not more than five hundred eligible employees in this 18
state on business days during the preceding calendar year and who 19
employs not more than five hundred eligible employees on the first 20
day of the plan year.21

       (B) Not later than six months after the effective date of 22
this section, the department of administrative services shall 23
implement and administer a health insurance program whereby small 24
employers, nonprofit corporations or associations, and legislative 25
authorities of municipal corporations may purchase from the 26
department insurance coverage for their eligible employees under 27
policies or contracts for which the department has contracted 28
under division (A) or (B) of section 124.82 of the Revised Code. 29
The department shall charge small employers, nonprofit 30
corporations or associations, and legislative authorities of 31
municipal corporations the entire amount of the premiums or costs 32
for coverage and, in addition, may charge a fee for administering 33
the program. The department shall ensure that the program is 34
actuarially sound.35

       (C) Nothing in this section prohibits a small employer, 36
nonprofit corporation or association, or legislative authority of 37
a municipal corporation from charging eligible employees for all 38
or any portion of the costs of coverage purchased under this 39
section.40

       (D) The director of administrative services shall adopt rules 41
under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code for implementing and 42
administering the health insurance program required by this 43
section. The rules shall include any provisions the director 44
considers necessary to carry out the program, including rules 45
that establish procedures by which small employers, nonprofit 46
corporations or associations, and legislative authorities of 47
municipal corporations may apply to purchase coverage under this 48
section. If the department charges an administrative fee under 49
this section, the rules also shall prescribe a method for 50
determining the amount of the fee to be charged.51