Rhode Island § 27-73-4 - Rhode Island Public School Employee Uniform Benefit Act

§ 27-73-4. Powers, duties, and functions of the board.

The board shall have the following powers, duties, and functions relative to active full-time certified employees pursuant to § 28-9.3-2, and active full-time school district employees pursuant to § 28-9.4-3:

(1) To design and recommend, with input and recommendations from the technical advisory committee, medical benefits plan designs and prescription drug coverage plan designs in accordance with the following:

(i) To design at least six (6) uniform benefit plan designs for all Rhode Island public school employees.

(ii) Benefit plan designs shall include at least one managed care option, at least four (4) preferred provider organization (PPO) options, and at least one health savings account (HSA) compatible high deductible health plan (HDHP) option.

(iii) The actuarial value of any of the approved benefit plan designs may not be greater than the actuarial value of the state employee health plan in effect as of the date the plan designs are approved.

(iv) The PPO options shall reflect four (4) different levels of plan design, with a minimum actuarial difference between each of the plan designs of seven and one-half percent (7.5%).

(v) The actuarial value of the lowest board-recommended benefit plan design shall not be greater than the actuarial value of the public school employee benefit plan design with the lowest actuarial value in effect in the state on January 1, 2011.

(2) To monitor the implementation of the uniform benefit plan designs and to recommend modifications to such benefit plan designs as appropriate.

(3) To report to the governor and general assembly on or before January 1, 2012, with recommendations on the means, feasibility, and benefits of developing a statewide health benefit purchasing arrangement for public school employees.