Section 1-11-730 - Persons eligible for state health and dental plan coverage(A) If a person began employment eligible for coverage under the state health and dental plans on or before May 1, 2008, the following eligibility provisions govern that person's participation in state health and dental plans as a retiree:(1) A person covered by the state health and dental plans who terminates employment with at least twenty years' retirement service credit by a state-covered entity before eligibility for retirement under a state retirement system is eligible for state health and dental plans coverage, effective on the date of retirement under a state retirement system, if the last five years are consecutive and in a full-time permanent position with a state-covered entity. With respect to a retiree eligible for coverage pursuant to this subsection, the retiree is eligible for trust fund paid premiums and the retiree is responsible for the entire employee premium.(2) A member of the General Assembly who leaves office or retires with at least eight years' credited service in the General Assembly Retirement System is eligible to participate in the state health and dental plans by paying the full premium as determined by the board.(3) With respect to an active employee:(a) employed by the State or a public school district,(b) retiring with ten or more years of state-covered entity service credited under a state retirement system, and (c) with the last five years of earned service credit consecutive and in a full-time permanent position with the State or a public school district, the retiree is eligible for trust fund paid premiums and the retiree is responsible for the entire employee premium.(4) A person covered by the state health and dental plans who retires with at least five years' state-covered entity service credited under a state retirement system is eligible to participate in the state health and dental plans by paying the full premium as determined by the board, if the last five years are consecutive and in a full-time permanent position with a state-covered entity.(5) A spouse or dependent of a person covered by the plans who is killed in the line of duty after December 31, 2001, shall receive equivalent coverage under the state health and dental plans for a period of twelve months and the State is responsible for paying the full premium. After the twelve-month period, a spouse or dependent is eligible for trust fund paid premiums. A spouse is eligible for trust fund paid premiums under this subsection until the spouse remarries. A dependent is eligible for trust fund paid premiums under this subsection until the dependent's eligibility for coverage under the plans would ordinarily terminate.(6) A former municipal or county council member of a county or municipality which participates in the state health and dental plans who served on the council for at least twelve years and who was covered under the plans at the time of termination is eligible to maintain coverage under the plans if the former member pays the full employer and employee contributions and if the county or municipal council elects to allow this coverage for former members.(7) A person covered by the state health and dental plans who terminated employment with at least eighteen years' retirement service credit by a state-covered entity before eligibility for retirement under a state retirement system before 1990 is eligible for the plans effective on the date of retirement, if this person returns to a state-covered entity and is covered by the state health and dental plans and completes at least two consecutive years in a full-time permanent position before the date of retirement.(B) If a person began employment eligible for coverage under the state health and dental plans after May 1, 2008, the following eligibility provisions govern that person's participation in state health and dental plans as a retiree: (1) An active employee covered by the state health and dental plans who retires with at least five years of earned retirement service credit under a state retirement system with a state-covered entity is eligible to participate as a retiree in the state health and dental plans if the last five years of the person's covered employment were consecutive and in a full-time permanent position.(2) A person covered by the state health and dental plans who terminates employment before the person's date of retirement with at least twenty years of earned retirement service credit under a state retirement system with a state-covered entity is eligible to participate as a retiree in the state health and dental plans on the person's date of retirement under a state retirement system, if the last five years of the person's covered employment before termination were consecutive and in a full-time permanent position.(3) A retired state employee or a retired employee of a public school district who retires under a state retirement system and who is eligible for state health and dental plan coverage under the provisions of item (1) or (2) of this subsection, is eligible for trust fund paid premiums as follows: (a) If the retiree's earned service credit in a state retirement system is five or more years but fewer than fifteen years with a state-covered entity, then the retiree shall pay the full premium for health and dental plans.(b) If the retiree's earned service credit in a state retirement system is more than fifteen years, but fewer than twenty-five years with a state-covered entity, then the retiree is eligible for fifty percent trust fund paid premiums and the retiree shall pay the remainder of the premium cost.(c) If the retiree's earned service credit in a state retirement system is twenty-five or more years with a state-covered entity, then the retiree is eligible for trust fund paid premiums and the retiree is responsible for the entire employee premium.(4) If a retiree under a state retirement system was employed by an entity that participates in the state health and dental plans pursuant to the provisions of Section 1-11-720 and is eligible to participate in state health and dental plans as a retiree pursuant to the provisions of item (1) or (2) of this subsection, then the retiree's employer, at its discretion, may elect to pay all or a portion of the premium for the retiree's state health and dental plans.(5) A spouse or dependent of a person covered by the plans who is killed in the line of duty on or after May 1, 2008, shall continue to maintain coverage under state health and dental plans for a period of twelve months after the covered person's death and the State is responsible for paying the full premium. After the twelve-month period, a spouse or dependent is eligible for trust fund paid premiums and the spouse or dependent is responsible for the entire employee premium. A spouse is eligible for trust fund paid premiums under this subsection until the spouse remarries. A dependent is eligible for trust fund paid premiums pursuant to this subsection until the dependent's eligibility for coverage under the plans would ordinarily terminate.(C) For employees who participate in the state health and dental plans pursuant to the provisions of Section 1-11-720 but who are not members of the State Retirement Systems, one year of full-time employment or its equivalent under their employment relation equates to one year of earned retirement service credit under a state retirement system for purposes of the requirements of subsection (B)(1) and (2) of this section. The EIP shall implement the provisions of this subsection and make determinations pursuant to it. A person aggrieved by a determination of the EIP pursuant to this subsection may appeal that determination as a contested case as provided in Chapter 23 of Title 1, the Administrative Procedures Act.(D)(1) A person who retires from employment with a solicitor's office under a state retirement system is eligible to participate in the state health and dental plans by paying the full premium as determined by the board if at least one county in the judicial circuit covered by that solicitor's office participates in the state health and dental plans and the person's last five years of employment prior to retirement are consecutive and in a full-time permanent position with that solicitor's office or another entity that participates in the state health and dental plans.(2) The provisions of this subsection must be interpreted to provide eligibility to the employee, retiree, and their eligible dependents.Amended by 2014 S.C. Acts, Act No. 248 (SB 897), s 1, eff. 6/6/2014.Amended by 2012 S.C. Acts, Act No. 278 (HB 4967), s 35, eff. 7/1/2012.2008 Act No. 195, Section 5, eff 5/1/2008; 2003 Act No. 80, Section 1; 2000 Act No. 387, Part II, Section 67W.1; 1996 Act No. 230, Section 1; 1994 Act No. 342, Section 1; 1992 Act No. 364, Section 1. 2008 Act No. 195, Section 7, provides as follows:
"The Code Commissioner shall insert the effective date of this act [May 1, 2008] for the phrase 'reference date' where it appears in Section 1-11-705 of the 1976 Code as added by this act and in Section 1-11-730 of the 1976 Code as amended by this act."
2008 Act No. 195, Section 8, provides as follows:
"This act takes effect on the first day of the month following the month during which this act is approved by the Governor [approved April 2, 2008]."
2014 Act No. 248, Section 2, provides as follows:
"SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor and is retroactive to January 1, 2012.