Section 8-27-209 - Supplemental medical insurance for retired state employees and teachers covered by Medicare benefits(a) The state insurance committee may provide a supplemental medical insurance benefit as the state insurance committee deems necessary and reasonable for retired state employees, as defined in § 8-27-204(a)(1), who are covered by Medicare benefits, and may establish eligibility criteria for the benefit. The supplemental medical insurance benefit may be made available to: (1) Eligible retired state employees, eligible retired employees of the University of Tennessee, and eligible retired employees of the state university and community college system who are drawing retirement benefits through the Tennessee consolidated retirement system; and(2) Eligible retired employees of the University of Tennessee and the state university and community college system who are participants in any other retirement plan offered through their employment with the University of Tennessee or the state university and community college system, regardless of whether such retired employee is drawing a retirement benefit.(b) If, pursuant to any contract for insurance coverage authorized by this section, the provider or administrator returns or refunds any amounts by which premiums or fees exceed expenses, the amounts shall be used only for the supplemental medical insurance program for retired employees, and in no instance shall the returns or refunds be used to reduce the amount of state funding that would otherwise be required under subsection (c).(c)(1) From appropriations made in the general appropriations act each year for that purpose, the state insurance committee is authorized to pay an amount on behalf of each participating retiree toward the cost of supplemental medical insurance provided pursuant to this part.(2) [Deleted by 2023 amendment.](d)(1) The state insurance committee shall, within the appropriations available, establish a contribution level for participating retirees with thirty (30) or more years of service. For participating retirees with twenty (20) years of service, but less than thirty (30) years of service, the state insurance committee shall make a contribution on behalf of participating retirees at not more than seventy-five percent (75%) of the contribution made for participating retirees with thirty (30) or more years of service. For participating retirees with fifteen (15) years of service, but less than twenty (20) years of service, the state insurance committee shall make a contribution on behalf of those retirees at not more than fifty percent (50%) of the contribution made for participating retirees with thirty (30) or more years of service. Retirees with less than fifteen (15) years of service may participate in such supplemental medical insurance as may be provided pursuant to this part, but the state insurance committee shall make no contribution on such retirees' behalf.(2) [Deleted by 2023 amendment.](e) The supplemental medical insurance benefit authorized under this section shall not be available to any person otherwise qualified under subsection (a) whose initial employment with the state or other qualifying employer commenced on or after July 1, 2015. The rights of election, transfer, and enrollment conferred by this section shall not be available to any person whose initial employment with the state or other governmental agency qualifying the person for plan membership commenced on or after July 1, 2015.(f) As used in this section:(1) "Retiree" means: (A) A former state employee, or employee of the University of Tennessee, or the state university and community college system, who is drawing an allowance through the Tennessee consolidated retirement system; and(B) A former employee of the University of Tennessee, or the state university and community college system, who participates in the optional retirement system established in § 8-25-202, regardless of whether the former employee draws a monthly retirement allowance; and(2) "Years of service" means only those years of service rendered by the retiree as a state employee, University of Tennessee employee, or state university and community college system higher education employee, or teacher in a local education agency, and upon which the retiree's monthly retirement allowance is based.Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 216, s 21, eff. 7/1/2023.Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 216, s 20, eff. 7/1/2023.Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 216, s 19, eff. 7/1/2023.Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 216, s 18, eff. 7/1/2023.Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 216, s 17, eff. 7/1/2023.