HB3249 EnrolledLRB103 25981 SPS 52335 b

1    AN ACT concerning employment.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Public Safety Employee Benefits Act is
5amended by changing Section 10 as follows:
 
6    (820 ILCS 320/10)
7    Sec. 10. Required health coverage benefits.
8    (a) An employer who employs a full-time law enforcement,
9correctional or correctional probation officer, or
10firefighter, who, on or after the effective date of this Act
11suffers a catastrophic injury or is killed in the line of duty
12shall pay the entire premium of the employer's health
13insurance plan for the injured employee, the injured
14employee's spouse, and for each dependent child of the injured
15employee until the child reaches the age of majority or until
16the end of the calendar year in which the child reaches the age
17of 25 if the child continues to be dependent for support or the
18child is a full-time or part-time student and is dependent for
19support. An individual whose entire premium is paid in
20accordance with this Section shall be offered by the employer
21the choice of any health insurance plan available to currently
22employed full-time law enforcement, correctional or
23correctional probation officers, or firefighters. For purposes

 

 

HB3249 Enrolled- 2 -LRB103 25981 SPS 52335 b

1of plans administered under the State Employee Group Insurance
2Act of 1971, changes in coverage may only be elected during
3open enrollment or following a qualifying event. The term
4"health insurance plan" does not include supplemental benefits
5that are not part of the basic group health insurance plan. If
6the injured employee subsequently dies, the employer shall
7continue to pay the entire health insurance premium for the
8surviving spouse until remarried and for the dependent
9children under the conditions established in this Section.
10However:
11        (1) Health insurance benefits payable from any other
12    source shall reduce benefits payable under this Section.
13        (2) It is unlawful for a person to willfully and
14    knowingly make, or cause to be made, or to assist,
15    conspire with, or urge another to make, or cause to be
16    made, any false, fraudulent, or misleading oral or written
17    statement to obtain health insurance coverage as provided
18    under this Section. A violation of this item is a Class A
19    misdemeanor.
20        (3) Upon conviction for a violation described in item
21    (2), a law enforcement, correctional or correctional
22    probation officer, or other beneficiary who receives or
23    seeks to receive health insurance benefits under this
24    Section shall forfeit the right to receive health
25    insurance benefits and shall reimburse the employer for
26    all benefits paid due to the fraud or other prohibited

 

 

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1    activity. For purposes of this item, "conviction" means a
2    determination of guilt that is the result of a plea or
3    trial, regardless of whether adjudication is withheld.
4    (b) In order for the law enforcement, correctional or
5correctional probation officer, firefighter, spouse, or
6dependent children to be eligible for insurance coverage under
7this Act, the injury or death must have occurred as the result
8of the officer's response to fresh pursuit, the officer or
9firefighter's response to what is reasonably believed to be an
10emergency, an unlawful act perpetrated by another, or during
11the investigation of a criminal act. Nothing in this Section
12shall be construed to limit health insurance coverage or
13pension benefits for which the officer, firefighter, spouse,
14or dependent children may otherwise be eligible.
15(Source: P.A. 90-535, eff. 11-14-97.)