TITLE VI
PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES

CHAPTER 100-A
NEW HAMPSHIRE RETIREMENT SYSTEM

Medical Benefits

Section 100-A:52

    100-A:52 Payment by Retirement System; Group II. –
I. The New Hampshire retirement system shall pay the cost for permanent group hospitalization, hospital medical care, surgical care and other medical and surgical benefits, in the employer-sponsored plan provided for active employees of a retiree's former employer, subject to the provisions of RSA 100-A:55, for the following persons:
(a) Any person retired as a group II member of the New Hampshire retirement system on service or disability retirement, provided that such person shall be entitled to retirement on the basis of group II creditable service without including any credit for service as a group I member of the retirement system, or any person retired on or before July 1, 1991, as a group I member whose service retirement benefit is based upon the provisions of RSA 100-A:19-c and who has a minimum of 10 years of creditable service as a group II member.
(b) The surviving spouse of a deceased retired group II member who met the qualifications of subparagraph (a), or of a deceased member who died while in service as a group II member, provided that such surviving spouse was covered as the member's spouse in the employer-sponsored plan before the member's death and is entitled to a monthly allowance under RSA 100-A:8, 100-A:9, 100-A:12 or 100-A:13.
(c) Any certifiably dependent child with a disability living in the household and being cared for by the qualified retired member, the member's spouse, or the qualified surviving spouse.
(d) The surviving spouse and children of a deceased group II member who dies as the natural and proximate result of injuries suffered while in the performance of duty, provided that:
(1) Any such child shall be qualified under this subparagraph only if under 18 years of age, or under 23 years of age if attending school on a full-time basis; and
(2) Such surviving spouse shall cease to be qualified upon the remarriage of the surviving spouse; and
(3) No surviving spouse or child shall be qualified or continue to be qualified under this subparagraph while receiving or eligible to receive medical insurance or health care benefits from any employer-sponsored plan.
(e) Any person who, prior to July 1, 1988, had completed no less than 20 years of group II creditable service, but who for reasons other than retirement or death ceased to be a group II member prior to attaining the age of 45, and who, as of July 1, 1993, is eligible for vested deferred retirement benefits.
(f) Persons who are group II permanent policemen members on disability retirement as the natural and proximate result of injuries suffered while in the performance of duty who become permanent policemen members of group II after June 30, 1988, but before July 1, 1991.
(g) The spouse of a qualified retiree, until death or remarriage.
II. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011, the maximum amount payable by the retirement system under this subdivision on account of each person qualified under paragraph I who is not entitled to Medicare benefits, shall be $375.56 per month, and on account of each person qualified under paragraph I who is entitled to Medicare benefits, shall be $236.84 per month. The rate payable under this paragraph shall not be increased.

[Paragraph III effective until 90 days after certification of receipt of favorable determination letter from IRS regarding tax qualified status of plan; see also paragraph III set out below.]


III. In the case of group II members retired from state employment before July 1, 1991, and their beneficiaries who are eligible for coverage under this subdivision and also under the provisions of RSA 21-I:26-36, the amount payable by the retirement system on account of such persons shall be paid over to the state and used to pay for all or part of the medical benefits provided under RSA 21-I:26-36 for such persons, and the balance shall be paid by the state as provided in RSA 21-I:26-36.

[Paragraph III effective 90 days after certification of receipt of favorable determination letter from IRS regarding tax qualified status of plan; see also paragraph III set out above.]


III. In the case of group II members retired from state employment before July 1, 1991, and their beneficiaries who are eligible for coverage under this subdivision and also under the provisions of RSA 21-I:26-36, the retirement system shall pay not less than the amounts provided in paragraph II on account of such persons and shall pay those amounts over to the state. Such payments shall be used to pay for all or part of the medical benefits provided under RSA 21-I:26-36 for such persons, and the balance shall be paid by the state as provided in RSA 21-I:26-36.

[Paragraph III-a effective until 90 days after certification of receipt of favorable determination letter from IRS regarding tax qualified status of plan; see also paragraph III-a set out below.]


III-a. In the case of group II members retired from state employment on or after July 1, 1991, and their beneficiaries who are eligible for coverage under this subdivision and also under the provisions of RSA 21-I:26-36, the amount payable by the retirement system on account of such persons shall be paid over to the state and used to pay for all or part of the medical benefits provided under RSA 21-I:26-36 for such persons, and the state shall pay its portion as provided in RSA 21-I:26-36. If the cost of the premium for any retired group II member and spouse, surviving spouse, or any other person entitled to benefits under paragraph I shall exceed the maximum under paragraph II, and the state does not elect to pay the excess cost above the amount to be paid under RSA 21-I:26-36, the excess cost shall be paid by the retiree or qualified surviving spouse and may be deducted from retirement benefits as provided in RSA 100-A:51. The state may require, as a condition for coverage, that the retiree or surviving spouse apply for deduction of such excess cost from retirement benefits as provided in RSA 100-A:51.

[Paragraph III-a effective 90 days after certification of receipt of favorable determination letter from IRS regarding tax qualified status of plan; see also paragraph III-a set out above.]


III-a. In the case of group II members retired from state employment on or after July 1, 1991, and their beneficiaries who are eligible for coverage under this subdivision and also under the provisions of RSA 21-I:26-36, the retirement system shall pay not less than the amounts provided in paragraph II on account of such persons and shall pay those amounts over to the state. Such payments shall be used to pay for all or part of the medical benefits provided under RSA 21-I:26-36 for such persons, and the state shall pay its portion as provided in RSA 21-I:26-36. If the cost of the premium for any retired group II member and spouse, surviving spouse, or any other person entitled to benefits under paragraph I shall exceed the maximum under paragraph II, and the state does not elect to pay the excess cost above the amount to be paid under RSA 21-I:26-36, the excess cost shall be paid by the retiree or qualified surviving spouse and may be deducted from retirement benefits as provided in RSA 100-A:51. The state may require, as a condition for coverage, that the retiree or surviving spouse apply for deduction of such excess cost from retirement benefits as provided in RSA 100-A:51.
IV. In the case of group II members retired from employment by political subdivisions of the state, the amount payable by the retirement system on account of qualified persons shall be paid over to the employer, insurer, or health care administrator and used to pay for all or part of the medical benefits provided through the former employer for qualified persons. If the cost of the premium for any retired group II member or surviving spouse shall exceed the maximum under paragraph II, and the employer does not elect to pay the excess cost, the excess cost shall be paid by the retiree or qualified surviving spouse and may be deducted from retirement benefits as provided in RSA 100-A:51. The employer may require, as a condition for coverage, that the retiree or surviving spouse apply for deduction of such excess cost from retirement benefits as provided in RSA 100-A:51.
V. There shall be no age limit to participate in the medical and health benefits provided in paragraph I, and there shall be no physical examination or health statement required for such coverage, provided, however, that if an eligible retired group II member of the retirement system fails to apply for such coverage within the time required by the insurance contract, the insurer may require satisfactory evidence of insurability as a condition for becoming insured.
VI. Any group II member retired before July 1, 1988, or surviving spouse, who would have been eligible for medical benefits under this section if this section had been in effect on the member's date of retirement, shall have the option of re-joining the medical or health plan sponsored by the retired member's former employer and of receiving benefits under this section, provided that such retired member or surviving spouse shall apply to the employer for such benefits before July 1, 1989. Upon receipt of such application, the former employer shall enroll such retiree or other eligible person in the employer's plan in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as enrollment of a new employee but without any benefit-waiting period which may be applicable to new employees of that employer. Neither an employer nor an employer's group plan or insurer shall be liable for any claims incurred prior to the date of enrollment under this paragraph.
VII. The retirement system shall notify all group II retirees and surviving spouse beneficiaries, who are currently drawing monthly allowances from the retirement system, of their possible right to re-join an active-employee medical insurance or health plan and to receive benefits under this section, and shall provide assistance to them in the preparation of the necessary application.
VIII. Any person who is eligible to receive group insurance or other medical benefits under the provisions of this section, but who does not need and who declines such benefits because they would be duplicative of coverage under any employer-sponsored plan, shall nevertheless continue to be eligible and, upon ceasing to be eligible for the other coverage, shall be permitted to receive the benefits allowable under this section without any waiting period.

Source. 1988, 191:5. 1990, 140:2, V; 277:2, 3, 6. 1991, 355:14, 15. 1993, 331:10. 1994, 310:1, 4. 1999, 274:2. 2006, 120:14, 15. 2008, 300:5. 2011, 224:176, eff. July 1, 2011. 2021, 91:14.