(a) Effective on or after January 1, 2007, any eligible retired public safety officer who is a participant or member under any eligible retirement plan administered by the board may voluntarily elect to have amounts from an eligible retirement plan distributed in order to pay for qualified health insurance premiums. Such election shall be made in writing, in a form and manner authorized by the board, and shall be consistent with the provisions of Section 402(l)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code as it may be amended from time to time.

(b) The definitions of the following terms contained in Section 402(l)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, as it may be amended from time to time, shall apply for purposes of this section:

(1)"Eligible retirement plan";

(2)"Eligible retired public safety officer";

(3)"Public safety officer"; and

(4)"Qualified health insurance premiums".

(c) The amount which a participant or member may elect to have distributed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall not exceed $3,000 per taxable year of the participant or member (or such other limitation amount as is specified in Section 402(l)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, as it may be amended or as the limitation may be adjusted from time to time) and any amounts so elected to be distributed shall be paid by the board directly to the provider in payment of the qualified health insurance premiums. "Qualified health insurance premiums" includes premiums for certain accident or health insurance plans and certain long-term care insurance contracts.

(d) For purposes of this section, all eligible retirement plans administered by the board shall be treated as a single plan.