ST HEALTH-TRS BENEFIT PAYMENTS

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Provides that a TRS benefit recipient who has overpaid shall be entitled to a refund of overpayments that shall become immediately payable to the benefit recipient regardless of when the initial overpayment was made (currently, entitled to only 7 years of past payments). Provides that the Department of Central Management Services shall take every step to notify the benefit recipient of the overpayment and shall make every effort to process and make the payment as promptly as possible. Provides that the required payments are retroactive for any previously made overpayment that has not been paid out. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Deletes language providing that if in any case an error is made in billing a TRS benefit recipient under a provision concerning health benefits for TRS benefit recipients and TRS dependent beneficiaries, the Department shall identify the error and refund the overpaid amount as soon as practicable; and providing that a TRS benefit recipient who has overpaid shall be entitled to a refund of overpayments for up to 7 years of past payments. Provides that if, for any month beginning on or after January 1, 2013, a TRS benefit recipient or TRS dependent beneficiary was enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B and such Medicare coverage was primary to coverage under certain provisions of the Act but payment for that coverage was made at a rate greater than the Medicare primary rate published by the Department of Central Management Services, the TRS benefit recipient or TRS dependent beneficiary shall be eligible for a refund equal to the difference between the amount paid by the TRS benefit recipient or TRS dependent beneficiary and the published Medicare primary rate. Provides that to receive a refund, the TRS benefit recipient or TRS dependent beneficiary must provide documentation to the Department of Central Management Services evidencing the TRS benefit recipient's or TRS dependent beneficiary's Medicare coverage and the amount paid by the TRS benefit recipient or TRS dependent beneficiary during the applicable time period. Effective immediately.