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Volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers may be offered health insurance if the organization is a NYSHIP participant

Volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers may be offered health insurance if the organization is a NYSHIP participant
Source: Press release by the Governor

The Governor has signed Senate 5111 / Assembly 8215 into law. It is Chapter 71 of the Laws of 2010.

Chapter 71 allows a public corporation that is a participating employer in the State Employee Health Insurance Program [NYSHIP] to elect to make NYHIP health insurance coverage available its active volunteer firefighters [as defined in §3.1 of the Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law] and its active volunteer ambulance worker [as defined in §3.1 of the Volunteer Ambulance Workers' Benefit Law].

Should the corporation elect to make NYSHIP available to its volunteers, the volunteers electing to participate in NYSHIP are required pay both the employer and the employee contributions for premiums required for individual and dependent coverage, depending on their participation. In other words, the participants must pay the entire cost for their NYSHIP health insurance coverage. The corporation cost is limited to paying its proportionate share of the expenses of administration of the plan.

The provisions of Chapter 71 are effective immediately.

N.B. 4 NYCRR 73.3(8) addresses the eligiblitiy of unpaid elected officials a political subdivision of the State that is a "participating employer" to elect to have NYSHIP health insurance coverage. Under certain conditions, employer contributions may be permitted in connection the unpaid elected official's participation in NYSHIP.

4 NYCRR §73.3(8) provides, in pertinent part, as follows: ?No participating employer shall be required to pay the cost of premium or subscription charges for the coverage of unpaid local elective officials or their dependents. Provided however, in instances where there is no statute, local law, or ordinance or resolution which expressly prohibits an unpaid local elective official from receiving compensation and the participating employer elects to contribute toward such premium or subscription charges, the participating employer's rate of contribution shall be not less than 50 percent of the charge on account of individual coverage and 35 percent of the charge on account of dependent coverage? [emphasis supplied].

Full post as published by New York Public Personnel Law on May 06, 2010 (boomark / email).