CVS-50-11-00005-P Provision of the Health Benefit Plan for Active and Retired New York State Employees

12/14/11 N.Y. St. Reg. CVS-50-11-00005-P

NEW YORK STATE REGISTER

VOLUME XXXIII, ISSUE 50

December 14, 2011

RULE MAKING ACTIVITIES

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL SERVICE

PROPOSED RULE MAKING

NO HEARING(S) SCHEDULED

 

I.D No. CVS-50-11-00005-P

Provision of the Health Benefit Plan for Active and Retired New York State Employees

PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE State Administrative Procedure Act, NOTICE is hereby given of the following proposed rule:

Proposed Action:

Amendment of sections 73.3(b) and 73.12 of Title 4 NYCRR.

Statutory authority:

Civil Service Law, sections 160(1), 161-a and 167(8)

Subject:

Provision of the health benefit plan for active and retired New York State employees.

Purpose:

To conform 4 NYCRR 73.12 with Chapter 491 of the Laws of 2011.

Text of proposed rule:

RESOLVED, That the first paragraph of subdivision (b) of section 73.3 of Title 4 NYCRR is hereby amended to read as follows:

73.3(b) Rate of contribution.

The rate of contribution of New York State on account of the coverage of its employees, post retirees and their dependents shall be 100 percent of the charge on account of individual coverage and 75 percent of the charge on account of dependent coverage, except that for the [optional benefit plans] Health Maintenance Organization options the State's contribution shall not exceed the same dollar amount as is paid by the State under the basic benefit plan. Effective October 1, 2011, for those employees employed in a title allocated or equated to salary grade 9 or below, the State's rate of contribution for such employees and their dependents enrolled in the Empire Plan or a Health Maintenance Organization shall be 88 percent of the charge on account of individual coverage and 73 percent of the charge on account of dependent coverage; provided, however, that for hospital/medical/mental health and substance abuse coverage provided under a Health Maintenance Organization, the State's rate of contribution shall not exceed 100 percent of its dollar contribution for such coverage under the Empire Plan. For employees employed in a title allocated or equated to salary grade 10 or above, the State's rate of contribution for such employees and their dependents enrolled in the Empire Plan or a Health Maintenance Organization shall be 84 percent of the charge on account of individual coverage and 69 percent of the charge on account of dependent coverage, provided, however, that for hospital/medical/mental health and substance abuse coverage provided under a Health Maintenance Organization, the State's rate of contribution shall not exceed 100 percent of its dollar contribution for such coverage under the Empire Plan. Effective October 1, 2011, the rate of contribution on account of the coverage of post retirees shall be as follows:

(i) for retirees who retired on or after January 1, 1983, and employees retiring prior to January 1, 2012, New York State shall contribute 88 percent of the charge on account of individual coverage and 73 percent of the charge on account of dependent coverage, provided, however, that for hospital/medical/mental health and substance abuse coverage provided under a Health Maintenance Organization, the State's rate of contribution shall not exceed 100 percent of its dollar contribution for such coverage under the Empire Plan;

(ii) for employees retiring on or after January 1, 2012, from a title allocated or equated to salary grade 9 or below, New York State shall contribute 88 percent of the charge on account of individual coverage and 73 percent of the charge on account of dependent coverage, provided, however, that for hospital/medical/mental health and substance abuse coverage provided under a Health Maintenance Organization, the State's rate of contribution shall not exceed 100 percent of its dollar contribution for such coverage under the Empire Plan;

(iii) for employees retiring on or after January 1, 2012, from a title allocated or equated to salary grade 10 or above, New York State shall contribute 84 percent of the charge on account of individual coverage and 69 percent of the charge on account of dependent coverage, provided, however, that for hospital/medical/mental health and substance abuse coverage provided under a Health Maintenance Organization, the State's rate of contribution shall not exceed 100 percent of its dollar contribution for such coverage under the Empire Plan.

The rate of contribution of a participating employer on account of the coverage of its employees, post retirees and their dependents 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. A participating employer may elect to pay higher rates of contribution for the coverage of its employees, retired employees and their dependents; provided, however, that if a participating employer so elects to pay a higher or lower rate of contribution for its retired employees or their dependents, or both, than that paid by the State for its retired employees or their dependents, or both, amounts withheld from the retirement allowances of its retired employees for their share of premium or subscription charges, if any, shall, if the president so requires, be paid to such participating employer which shall pay into the health insurance fund the full cost of premium or subscription charges for the coverage of such retired employees and their dependents; and provided that notice of such election shall be furnished to the Department of Civil Service not less than 60 days prior to the date on which it is proposed to make such higher rate of contribution effective. The contributions payable by a prior retiree shall be equal to the contributions payable by active employees and post retirees having similar coverages; the employer's contributions shall be the difference between the contributions of the prior retiree and the total charges on account of coverage for such prior retiree. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions:

FURTHER, Section 73.12 of Title 4 NYCRR is hereby amended to read as follows:

The provisions of this Chapter, insofar as they apply to employees in the negotiating units established pursuant to article 14 of the Civil Service Law and their dependents, shall be continued; provided, however, that during periods of time when there is in effect an agreement between the State and an employee organization reached pursuant to the provision of said article 14, the provisions of such agreement and the provisions of this Chapter shall both be applicable. In the event the provisions of the agreement are different from the provisions of this Chapter, the provisions of the agreement shall be controlling. The president may, upon [certification] approval by the Director of [Employee Relations] the Budget, provide for the [supplementation of benefits] extension of the negotiated provisions of such agreement, in whole or in part, [provided hereinabove for] to officers and employees not in a negotiating unit within the meaning of article 14 of the Civil Service Law and may extend provisions regarding the modified state cost of premium or subscription charges to such employees or retirees.

Text of proposed rule and any required statements and analyses may be obtained from:

Shirley LaPlante, NYS Department of Civil Service, Albany, NY 12239, [phone], email: [e-mail]

Data, views or arguments may be submitted to:

Mark Worden, Associate Attorney, NYS Department of Civil Service, Albany, NY 12239, [phone], email: [e-mail]

Public comment will be received until:

45 days after publication of this notice.

Regulatory Impact Statement

1. Statutory Authority: Section 160(1) of the Civil Service Law authorizes the President of the State Civil Service Commission to establish regulations concerning the eligibility of active and retired employees to participate in the health benefit plan authorized by Article XI of the Civil Service Law. Section 161-a of the Civil Service Law authorizes the President of the State Civil Service Commission to implement those provisions of a collective bargaining agreement between the state and an employee organization which provide for health benefits in a manner consistent with the terms thereof, and to extend such benefits in whole or in part to employees not subject to the provisions of such agreement. Section 167(8) of the Civil Service Law provides that notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, where and to the extent that a collective bargaining agreement between the State and an employee organization provides that the cost of premium or subscription charges for eligible employees covered by such agreement may be modified pursuant to the terms of such agreement, the President of the State Civil Service Commission, upon approval of the Director of the Budget, may extend the modified State cost of premiums or subscription charges for employees not subject to a collective bargaining agreement and retirees and shall promulgate the necessary rules or regulations to implement this provision.

2. Legislative Objectives: The President of the State Civil Service Commission has been granted broad authority to prescribe regulations concerning the administration of the health benefit plan authorized by Article XI of the Civil Service Law. Consistent with such authority, the President is amending the Rules and Regulations of the Department of Civil Service with respect to the extension of health plan benefits provided to active and retired employees not subject to collective bargaining.

3. Needs and Benefits: Chapter 491 of the Laws of 2011 implements the terms of a collective bargaining agreement covering members of the Administrative Services Unit, the Institutional Services Unit, and Operational Services Unit, and the Division of Military and Naval Affairs Unit represented by the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA). The Chapter also establishes terms and conditions of employment for employees designated as Management/Confidential (M/C) and other unrepresented employees. The Chapter provides that modified state cost of premium or subscription charges for health insurance coverage may be extended to M/C and other unrepresented employees and retirees. The Chapter also provides M/C and other unrepresented employees with compensation increases, payments, and benefits comparable to negotiated increases and benefits for represented employees. This rule ensures that the President implements these essential benefits and provisions in a timely fashion for M/C and other unrepresented employees and retirees in the manner required by the Chapter and in accordance with the State's obligations.

4. Costs:

a. Cost to regulated parties for the implementation of and continuing compliance with the rule: This rule conforms the Regulations of the Department of Civil Service with Chapter 491 of the Laws of 2011 and relevant provisions of such law will be implemented through ministerial acts performed by the New York State Department of Civil Service as administrator of the New York State Health Insurance Program. There are no specific costs associated with implementation of and continuing compliance with this rule.

b. Costs to the agency, the State and local governments for the implementation and continuation of the rule: This rule conforms the Regulations of the Department of Civil Service with Chapter 491 of the Laws of 2011 and will be implemented through ministerial acts performed by the New York State Department of Civil Service as administrator of the New York State Health Insurance Program. There are no specific costs to New York State associated with implementation and continuation of this rule and, as the proposal applies only to certain State employees and retirees, it will not impose any costs upon local governments.

c. The information, including the source(s) of such information, and methodology upon which the cost analysis is based: Preliminary estimates regarding administrative costs associated with providing the subject benefits to M/C and other unrepresented employees and retirees have been evaluated by the Department of Civil Service.

5. Local Government Mandates: The proposal applies only to certain State Classified Service employees and retirees and will not impose any mandates upon local governments.

6. Paperwork: The proposal will not require any new or additional application or reporting forms.

7. Duplication: The proposal does not duplicate or conflict with any State or federal requirements.

8. Alternatives: This rule reflects the only appropriate method of implementing the provisions of Chapter 491 of the Laws of 2011 with respect to providing M/C and other unrepresented employees and retirees with the health plan benefits in the manner required by the Chapter timely and in accordance with the State's obligations.

9. Federal Standards: This proposal does not exceed any minimum standards of the federal government for the same or similar subject areas.

10. Compliance Schedule: Compliance commenced automatically upon the effective date of the emergency adoption of this regulation which is now proposed for permanent adoption.

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

Since this rule serves only to provide for essential health plan benefits for certain M/C and other unrepresented employees and retirees, it has no economic impact and places no reporting, recordkeeping or other compliance requirements upon small businesses, as defined by Section 102(8) of the State Administrative Procedure Act, or any local government. Therefore, a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (RFA) is not required by Section 202-b of such Act.

Rural Area Flexibility Analysis

Since this rule serves only to provide for essential health plan benefits for certain M/C and other unrepresented employees and retirees, without regard to the geographic distribution of personal residences or work locations of such employees and retirees, this rule will not impose any adverse economic impact or create reporting, recordkeeping or other compliance requirements for public and private entities in rural areas, as defined in Section 102(10) of State Administrative Procedure Act. Therefore, a Rural Area Flexibility Analysis (RAFA) is not required by Section 202-bb of such Act.

Job Impact Statement

By modifying Title 4 NYCRR to provide for essential health plan benefits for certain M/C and other unrepresented employees and retirees, this rule will positively impact jobs or employment opportunities for covered employees, as set forth in Section 201-a(2)(a) of the State Administrative Procedure Act (SAPA). Therefore, a Job Impact Statement (JIS) is not required by Section 201-a of such Act.