Rural Health Care Equity Program.

Existing law, until July 3, 2010, or earlier upon a specified finding, established the Rural Health Care Equity Program for the purpose of funding the subsidization and reimbursement of premium costs, deductibles, coinsurance, and other out-of-pocket health care expenses paid by state employees of State Bargaining Unit 5 living in rural areas, as defined. Existing law provided for funding and reimbursement provisions for purposes of the program. Existing law provided that the program would be operative only to the extent that funding was provided in the annual Budget Act or another statute and solely for the benefit of employees of State Bargaining Unit 5. The bill would reestablish the Rural Health Care Equity Program until January 1, 2015, or to an earlier date upon a specified finding, and would extend the benefits to all employees and annuitants living in rural areas. This bill would provide that the program would be operative only to the extent that funding is provided in the annual Budget Act.