Effective 11 Jul 2002, see footnote

104.515. Insurance and disability benefits to be kept in separate accounts — state's contribution, amount, contribution to be made from highway funds for certain employees, when — employees and families, who are covered for medical insurance — premium collection for amount not covered by state — special consultants, duties, compensation, benefits. — 1. Separate accounts for medical, life insurance and disability benefits provided pursuant to sections 104.517 and 104.518 shall be established as part of the fund. The funds, property and return on investments of the separate account shall not be commingled with any other funds, property and investment return of the system. All benefits and premiums are paid solely from the separate account for medical, life insurance and disability benefits provided pursuant to this section.

2. The state shall contribute an amount as appropriated by law and approved by the governor per month for medical benefits, life insurance and long-term disability benefits as provided pursuant to this section and sections 104.517 and 104.518. Such amounts shall include the cost of providing life insurance benefits for each active employee who is a member of the Missouri state employees' retirement system, a member of the public school retirement system and who is employed by a state agency other than an institution of higher learning, a member of the retirement system established by sections 287.812 to 287.855, the judicial retirement system, each legislator and official holding an elective state office, members not on payroll status who are receiving workers' compensation benefits, and if the state highways and transportation commission so elects, those employees who are members of the state transportation department employees' and highway patrol retirement system; if the state highways and transportation commission so elects to join the plan, the state shall contribute an amount as appropriated by law for medical benefits for those employees who are members of the transportation department employees' and highway patrol retirement system; an additional amount equal to the amount required, based on competitive bidding or determined actuarially, to fund the retired members' death benefit or life insurance benefit, or both, provided in subsection 4 of this section and the disability benefits provided in section 104.518. This amount shall be reported as a separate item in the monthly certification of required contributions which the commissioner of administration submits to the state treasurer and shall be deposited to the separate account for medical, life insurance and disability benefits. All contributions made on behalf of members of the state transportation department employees' and highway patrol retirement system shall be made from highway funds. If the highways and transportation commission so elects, the spouses and unemancipated children under twenty-three years of age of employees who are members of the state transportation department employees' and highway patrol retirement system shall be able to participate in the program of insurance benefits to cover medical expenses pursuant to the provisions of subsection 3 of this section.

3. The board shall determine the premium amounts required for participating employees. The premium amounts shall be the amount, which, together with the state's contribution, is required to fund the benefits provided, taking into account necessary actuarial reserves. Separate premiums shall be established for employees' benefits and a separate premium or schedule of premiums shall be established for benefits for spouses and unemancipated children under twenty-three years of age of participating employees. The employee's premiums for spouse and children benefits shall be established to cover that portion of the cost of such benefits which is not paid for by contributions by the state. All such premium amounts shall be paid to the board of trustees at the time that each employee's wages or salary would normally be paid. The premium amounts so remitted will be placed in the separate account for medical, life insurance and disability benefits. In lieu of the availability of premium deductions, the board may establish alternative methods for the collection of premium amounts.

4. Each special consultant eligible for life benefits employed by a board of trustees of a retirement system as provided in section 104.610 who is a member of the Missouri state life insurance plan or Missouri state transportation department and Missouri state highway patrol life insurance plan shall, in addition to duties prescribed in section 104.610 or any other law, and upon request of the board of trustees, give the board, orally or in writing, a short detailed statement on life insurance and death benefit problems affecting retirees. As compensation for the extra duty imposed by this subsection, any special consultant as defined above, other than a special consultant entitled to a deferred normal annuity pursuant to section 104.035 or 104.335, who retires on or after September 28, 1985, shall receive as a part of compensation for these extra duties, a death benefit of five thousand dollars, and any special consultant who terminates employment on or after August 28, 1999, after reaching normal or early retirement age and becomes a retiree within sixty days of such termination shall receive five thousand dollars of life insurance coverage. In addition, each special consultant who is a member of the transportation department employees' and highway patrol retirement system medical insurance plan shall also provide the board, upon request of the board, orally or in writing, a short detailed statement on physical, medical and health problems affecting retirees. As compensation for this extra duty, each special consultant as defined above shall receive, in addition to all other compensation provided by law, nine dollars, or an amount equivalent to that provided to other special consultants pursuant to the provisions of section 103.115. In addition, any special consultant as defined in section 287.820 or section 476.601 who terminates employment and immediately retires on or after August 28, 1995, shall receive as a part of compensation for these duties, a death benefit of five thousand dollars and any special consultant who terminates employment on or after August 28, 1999, after reaching the age of eligibility to receive retirement benefits and becomes a retiree within sixty days of such termination shall receive five thousand dollars of life insurance coverage.

5. Any former employee who is receiving disability income benefits from the Missouri state employees' retirement system or the transportation department employees' and highway patrol retirement system shall, upon application with the board of trustees of the Missouri consolidated health care plan or the transportation department employees and highway patrol medical plan, be made, constituted, appointed and employed by the respective board as a special consultant on the problems of the health of disability income recipients and, upon request of the board of trustees of each medical plan, give the board, orally or in writing, a short detailed statement of physical, medical and health problems affecting disability income recipients. As compensation for the extra duty imposed by this subsection, each such special consultant as defined in this subsection may receive, in addition to all other compensation provided by law, an amount contributed toward medical benefits coverage provided by the Missouri consolidated health care plan or the transportation employees and highway patrol medical plan pursuant to appropriations.

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(L. 1972 S.B. 548, A.L. 1976 S.B. 513, A.L. 1977 H.B. 703, A.L. 1978 S.B. 497, A.L. 1979 H.B. 129, A.L. 1981 H.B. 835, et al., H.B. 903, A.L. 1982 H.B. 1720, et al., A.L. 1983 S.B. 353 merged with H.B. 713 Revision, A.L. 1984 H.B. 1370 merged with H.B. 1106, A.L. 1985 H.B. 670, H.B. 790, A.L. 1986 H.B. 1496, A.L. 1987 H.B. 713, A.L. 1988 H.B. 1643 & 1399, A.L. 1988 H.B. 1100, et al., A.L. 1989 H.B. 610, A.L. 1992 H.B. 1574, A.L. 1994 H.B. 1149, A.L. 1995 H.B. 416, et al., A.L. 1997 H.B. 356, A.L. 2001 S.B. 371, A.L. 2002 H.B. 1455)

Effective 7-11-02