Sec. 655.

(1) Subject to this section, a fund may disburse money contributed to the fund each year, not including any interest, earnings, or unrealized gains or losses on those contributions, for the purposes of the fund as described in section 653. A fund may expend a portion of the money contributed to the fund in each year following the initial contribution to the fund according to the following schedule:

(a) Years 1 through 4, 80%.

(b) Years 5 through 8, 67%.

(c) Years 9 through 12, 60%.

(d) Years 13 through 18, 25%.

(2) On and after the date that the accumulated principal of money held by a fund reaches $750,000,000.00, the fund shall maintain that amount for investment to provide an ongoing income to the fund. On and after the date that the accumulated principal in the fund reaches $750,000,000.00, the board shall not allow the accumulated principal of the fund to fall below $750,000,000.00 due to expenditures made for the purposes of the fund as described in section 653.

(3) A fund may expend money received by the fund from any source in a fiscal year of the fund that is in excess of the amount required to maintain the accumulated principal goals as described in subsection (2), not including any interest, earnings, or unrealized gains or losses on those funds, on the reasonable administrative costs of the fund and for the purposes of the fund as described in this part. The investment of fund money and donations by the fund are under the exclusive control and discretion of the fund and are not subject to requirements applicable to public funds.

(4) A fund may invest accumulated principal in the fund only in securities permitted by the laws of this state for the investment of assets of life insurance companies, as described in chapter 9 of the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500.901 to 500.947.

(5) A fund's articles of incorporation or bylaws must provide for a system of financial accounting, controls, audits, and reports. The board annually shall have an audit of the fund conducted by an independent public accountant firm, and the auditor's audit report and findings shall be submitted to the board. The expense of an audit required under this subsection is considered a reasonable administrative cost under subsection (3).

(6) A fund's articles of incorporation or bylaws must require that the board shall appoint from its members an audit committee consisting of no fewer than 3 members and for the audit committee to contract with an independent auditing firm to provide an annual financial audit in accordance with applicable auditing standards.

(7) The executive director shall do all of the following:

(a) Review and certify external auditor reports.

(b) Make external auditor reports available to the board and to the general public.

(c) Develop and implement corrective actions to address weaknesses identified in an audit report.

(8) The articles of incorporation or bylaws of a fund must require the fund to keep an accurate accounting of all activities, receipts, and expenditures and annually submit to the board, the governor, the senate and house of representatives appropriations committees, and the senate and house of representatives standing committees on health policy a report regarding those accountings.

(9) A fund and its directors, officers, and employees shall fully cooperate with any investigation conducted by this state or a federal agency under its authority under state or federal law, to do any of the following:

(a) Investigate the affairs of the fund.

(b) Examine the assets and records of the fund.

(c) Require periodic reports in relation to the activities undertaken by the fund in compliance with applicable law.

History: Add. 2013, Act 4, Imd. Eff. Mar. 18, 2013 Popular Name: Blue Cross-Blue ShieldPopular Name: Act 350