Vision Care Program For State Annuitants - Personnel - CA Government

Section § 22959.1

This law section establishes the Vision Care Program for State Annuitants, which is a program aimed at providing vision benefits to retired state employees. It outlines three main goals: to make the provision of vision care benefits more economical and efficient for retirees, to leverage the state's large size to offer a vision care plan comparable to those in the private sector, and to support retirees' health by offering continued vision care options into retirement.

This part shall be known and may be cited as the Vision Care Program for State Annuitants. The purpose of this part is to do all of the following:

(a) Promote increased economy and efficiency in the provision of vision benefits to annuitants.

(b) Enable the state to use economies of scale to provide a vision care plan similar to those commonly provided in private industry and in other states.

(c) Recognize and protect the state’s investment in each permanent employee’s service by providing into retirement the option of a vision care program, and to promote and preserve continued good health among state annuitants.

Vision Care Program state annuitants retired state employees economies of scale vision benefits economy and efficiency health benefits retirement health care state investment permanent employees vision care plan government retirees health preservation retirement benefits employee service recognition

(Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 611, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2007.)

Section § 22959.2

This law states that California's Vision Care Program for retired state employees will be managed by the Department of Human Resources.

The Vision Care Program for State Annuitants shall be administered by the Department of Human Resources.

Vision Care Program State Annuitants Department of Human Resources retired state employees health benefits vision insurance administration retirement benefits state retirees California government programs state employee benefits vision care management state retirement system annuitant health coverage government employee retirement

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 665, Sec. 160. (SB 1308) Effective January 1, 2013.)

Section § 22959.3

This section says that unless specified otherwise, the meanings of words used in this part are the same as those defined in Article 2, starting at Section 22760 of Part 5.

Unless otherwise indicated, the definition of terms in Article 2 (commencing with Section 22760) of Part 5 apply to this part.

definitions terminology Article 2 Part 5 Section 22760 reference interpretation word meaning legal definitions cross-reference standard definitions meaning of terms

(Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 611, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2007.)

Section § 22959.4

If you retire from a state job in California, you might be able to join a vision care plan if you either had health, dental, or vision benefits when you retired within 120 days of leaving your job, or you were eligible for those benefits but not enrolled. Legislators on certain retirement plans can also join. However, the Department of Human Resources won't help find or notify retirees about this opportunity or share their details with others.

(a) An annuitant who retires from the state may enroll in a vision care plan offered under this part, if any of the following apply:

(1) The annuitant was enrolled in a health benefit plan, a dental care plan, or vision care plan at the time of separation for retirement, and retired within 120 days of the date of separation.

(2) The annuitant was not enrolled in a health benefit plan, a dental care plan, or vision care plan at the time of separation for retirement, but was eligible for enrollment as an employee at the time of separation for retirement, and retired within 120 days of the date of separation.

(3) The annuitant is part of the Legislators’ Retirement System receiving an allowance pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 9359) of Chapter 3.5 of Part 1 of Division 2.

(b) The Department of Human Resources has no duty to locate or notify any annuitant who may be eligible to enroll, or to provide names or addresses to any person, agency, or entity for the purpose of notifying those annuitants.

vision care plan annuitant retirement state employee benefits health benefits dental care plan Legislators' Retirement System retiree enrollment eligibility Department of Human Resources employee separation post-retirement benefits retirement within 120 days retirement health plans

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 665, Sec. 161. (SB 1308) Effective January 1, 2013.)

Section § 22959.5

If you were enrolled in a vision care plan when you retired from certain state jobs, you can keep that vision coverage, including coverage for your family, without losing any benefits. This applies if you worked as a state civil service employee, a legislative member, staff, a constitutional officer, or a judicial branch employee. However, retirees from the California State University or University of California systems cannot join this program.

(a) A person who was enrolled in a vision care plan at the time he or she became an annuitant under state or federal provisions, may continue his or her enrollment, including eligible family members, without discrimination as to benefit coverage as an enrolled person within this program. An annuitant who is eligible for this program is a person who meets the requirements of Section 22959.4 and at the time of retirement was employed with the state as one of the following:

(1) A civil service employee of the state.

(2) An elected member of the Legislature.

(3) A legislative employee.

(4) A constitutional officer.

(5) An employee of the judicial branch of state government.

(b) Annuitants of the California State University and University of California systems may not participate in this program.

vision care plan retirement benefits annuitant eligibility state civil service employee elected member legislative employee constitutional officer judicial branch employee California State University University of California vision coverage continuity family member coverage benefit discrimination retiree health plans

(Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 611, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2007.)

Section § 22959.6

The Department of Human Resources in California can offer vision care plans to retired state workers and their eligible family members. The retirees, known as annuitants, must pay a monthly premium for these plans, which comes out of their retirement allowance. If their allowance isn't enough to cover the cost, they're billed directly. All premiums go into a state fund specifically for this purpose.

Retirees can choose a vision plan from the same insurer they get their health benefits from, but they aren't required to do so. The department can only enter into contracts for these plans if it's reasonable and economically feasible. They can also terminate the program if it becomes financially unsustainable, provided they give proper notice to those enrolled.

Premiums are set by the department and are kept separate from those of current employees.

(a) The Department of Human Resources may contract with one or more vision care plans for annuitants and eligible family members, provided the carrier or carriers have operated successfully in the area of vision care benefits for a reasonable period, as determined by the Department of Human Resources.

(b) The Department of Human Resources, as the program administrator, has full administrative authority over this program and associated funds and shall require the monthly premium to be paid by the annuitant for the vision care plan. The premium to be paid by the annuitant shall be deducted from his or her monthly allowance. If there are insufficient funds in an annuitant’s allowance to pay the premium, the plan provider shall directly bill the annuitant. A vision care plan or plans provided under this authority shall be funded by the annuitant’s premium. All premiums received from annuitants shall be deposited in the Vision Care Program for State Annuitants Fund, which is hereby created in the State Treasury. Any income earned on the moneys in the Vision Care Program for State Annuitants Fund shall be credited to the fund. Notwithstanding Section 13340, moneys in the fund are continuously appropriated for the purposes specified in subdivision (d).

(c) An annuitant may enroll in a vision care plan provided by a carrier that also provides a health benefit plan pursuant to Section 22850 if the employee or annuitant is also enrolled in the health benefit plan provided by that carrier. However, this section may not be construed to require an annuitant to enroll in a vision care plan and a health benefit plan provided by the same carrier. An annuitant enrolled in this program shall only enroll into a vision plan or vision plans contracted for by the Department of Human Resources.

(d) A contract for a vision care plan may not be entered into unless the Department of Human Resources determines it is reasonable to do so. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any premium moneys paid into this program by annuitants for the purposes of the annuitant vision care plan that is contracted for shall be used for the cost of providing vision care benefits to eligible, enrolled annuitants and their eligible and enrolled dependents, the payment of claims for those vision benefits, and the cost of administration of the vision care plan or plans under this vision care program, those costs being determined by the Department of Human Resources.

(e) If the Director of Human Resources determines that it is not economically feasible to continue this program anytime after its commencement, the director may, upon written notice to enrollees and to the contracting plan or plans, terminate this program within a reasonable time. The notice of termination to the plan or plans shall be determined by the Department of Human Resources. The notice to enrollees of the termination of the program shall commence no later than three months prior to the actual date of termination of the program.

(f) Premium rates for this program shall be determined by the Department of Human Resources in conjunction with the contracted plan or plans and shall be considered separate and apart from active employee premium rates.

vision care plans Department of Human Resources retired state workers annuitants premiums Vision Care Program for State Annuitants Fund health benefit plan carrier enrollment cost of administration termination of program premium rates state fund eligible dependents contracting plans

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 275, Sec. 6. (AB 1420) Effective January 1, 2014.)