100-A:50 Medical Insurance Coverage. –
I. Every political subdivision of the state that provides for its active employees any group medical insurance or group health care plan, including but not limited to hospitalization, hospital medical care, surgical care, dental care, or other group medical or health care plan, shall permit its employees upon retirement to continue to participate in the same medical insurance or health care group or plan as its active employees. Retired employees shall be deemed to be part of the same group as active employees of the same employer for purposes of determining medical insurance premiums. Coverage for spouses, other family members and beneficiaries of retirees shall also be permitted to the extent that coverage is provided for the spouses, other family members and beneficiaries of active employees. Present retirees not covered shall be permitted to rejoin the active employee health insurance or health care group. Persons retired prior to July 1, 1988, shall be given the opportunity to rejoin the group during a 2-year period, beginning on July 1, 1989, and ending on July 1, 1991. Such persons shall continue to participate in the same coverage as active employees without any benefit waiting period.
II. Each political subdivision, as employer, may elect to pay the full cost of group medical insurance or health care coverage for its retirees, or may require each retiree to pay any part or all of the cost of the retiree's participation. Such election may be made separately for retirees from different job classifications.