Health care coverage: state employees and legislative employees: cash payments.

The Public Employees' Health Care Act allows an employee or annuitant, as defined, under eligibility rules as prescribed by State Personnel Board regulations, to enroll in an approved health benefit plan approved or maintained by the board either as an individual or for self and family. This bill, operative July 1, 2010, would require the state, if it provides an employee of the state or an employee of the Legislature with the option to elect coverage in a health benefit plan, to also provide that employee with the option of receiving a cash payment in lieu of that coverage. The bill would require the amount of the cash payment that may be provided to an employee to be calculated by multiplying the average dollar value of the health benefit premium that the employee could have received had he or she elected coverage in a health benefit plan by 67%.