Arkansas § 12-8-210 - Insurance — Medical and hospital — Definitions.

§ 12-8-210. Insurance — Medical and hospital — Definitions.

The Division of Arkansas State Police shall obtain a policy or contract of medical and hospital insurance or establish a self-insurance fund in lieu thereof to provide medical and hospital insurance for all eligible employees of the division. The division shall pay all or a portion of the premium, fee, or other costs for the policy or contract or payments into a self-insurance fund from funds appropriated to the division for personal service matching or which may be specifically appropriated for that purpose. The division may provide hospitalization and medical services coverage under a group health insurance program or may in lieu thereof provide coverage for hospitalization and medical insurance services under a self-insurance program established by the division for the spouses and dependents of eligible employees of the division and pay all or a portion of the premium thereon or payments into the self-insurance fund from funds appropriated for that purpose. In the event that the division, acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Arkansas State Police Commission, exercises the option to establish a self-insurance program, this program shall provide hospitalization and medical services coverage for eligible employees of the division and for the spouses and dependents of eligible employees of the division as authorized in this section and shall be operated in accordance with policies, rules, procedures, and benefits prescribed by the commission. Members of the division who retire and receive retirement benefits under the State Police Retirement System after July 1, 1985, shall be eligible to participate in the group health self-insurance program established by the commission for eligible retirees and for their spouses and dependents in the same manner and under the same conditions as provided in §§ 21-5-410 and 21-5-411, which authorize retired state employees receiving retirement benefits under the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System to participate in the State and Public School Life and Health Insurance Program. As used in this section: “Eligible employee” means an individual who is: A full-time employee of the division as defined in the plan document for the Arkansas State Police Employee Health Plan; and Qualified to enroll in the health benefit plan offered by the division; and “Eligible retiree” means an employee who: Retires under the division's formal retirement plan; Is eligible to continue to participate in the retirement plan upon retirement as defined in the plan document for the Arkansas State Police Employee Health Plan; and Is qualified to enroll in the health benefit plan offered by the division.