HB 1583 -- Missouri State Employees' Retirement System Medical
Benefits

Sponsor:  Jones (117)

This bill changes the laws regarding the Missouri State
Employees' Retirement System (MOSERS) to allow for a medical
insurance and retirement incentive for certain state employees
who are eligible for state-sponsored medical benefits.  In its
main provisions, the bill:

(1)  Allows an employee who retires by September 1, 2010, to
elect to continue coverage for himself or herself at the same
cost as if the retiree was an active employee until January 1,
2015, or until the retiree is eligible for Medicare, whichever
occurs first.  The cost will revert to the applicable retiree
rate on January 1, 2015, or when the retiree becomes Medicare
eligible.  Dependent coverage will be at the applicable rate for
a retiree;

(2)  Allows the governing body of any participating member agency
to provide the medical coverage specified in the bill so that
employees or retirees will be eligible to apply the medical
coverage to their current benefits;

(3)  Allows the governing boards of Truman State University,
Lincoln University, and any educational institution listed in
Section 174.020, RSMo; the Highways and Transportation
Commission; and the Conservation Commission to provide their
employees or retirees the same medical coverage as specified in
the bill;

(4)  Allows current employees who are receiving creditable
service and are eligible to receive a normal annuity beginning on
or after January 1, 2010, but no later than September 1, 2010, or
an employee who terminated coverage on or after December 1, 2009,
and retired with a normal annuity within 60 days of termination
or a retiree whose normal retirement annuity commenced on or
after January 1, 2010, but no later than September 1, 2010, to be
eligible to receive medical coverage.  This benefit will not
apply to any employee eligible to retire based solely on early
retirement eligibility;

(5)  Allows departments to rehire for positions that are vacated
due to the election to retire; however, the departments will be
limited to using no more than 50% of the personal service funds
of those positions vacated.  This provision will not apply to
Truman State University, Lincoln University, or any educational
institution listed in Section 174.020; and

(6)  Requires MOSERS and the Missouri Consolidated Health Care
Plan (MCHCP) to report in writing by October 31, 2010, to the
Commissioner of the Office of Administration on the number of
state employees eligible to retire and the premium costs
associated with those who retire under these provisions.  The
commissioner will report this information annually to the
Governor and General Assembly by January 31, 2011, through
January 31, 2015.  The report will include an analysis of the
costs and savings resulting from the retirements and the amount
of payroll and positions reduced.

The bill contains an emergency clause.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:11 pm