(a) The District’s contribution to the cost of any health benefit plan shall be an amount equal to 75% of the subscription charge of the standard option indemnity plan, except that in no event shall the District’s contribution exceed 75% of the total subscription charge of any plan or option in which the employee is enrolled. The District’s contribution shall be paid on a regular pay period basis.
(b) The Mayor shall determine the amount of the District contribution for individual and for self and family enrollments before the beginning date of each contract period.
(c) There is established the Other Post-Employment Benefits Fund (“Fund”) from which the District’s contribution for health and life insurance for annuitants shall be paid. The monies in the Fund shall not be a part of, or lapse into, the General Fund of the District or any other fund of the District and, subject to authorization in an approved budget and financial plan, any funds appropriated in the Fund shall be continually available without regard to fiscal year limitation.
(d) Every fiscal year, the Chief Financial Officer shall deposit into the Fund the amount that has been appropriated for the purpose of funding the District contribution for the health and life insurance premiums of annuitants. The Chief Financial Officer may also deposit into the Fund any balances in rate stabilization fund reserves that are refunded to the District by a health insurance carrier.
(d-1) Each fiscal year, the District shall ensure that a sufficient amount is appropriated for the Fund, as the District of Columbia payment to the Fund, which shall be equal to, or greater than, the amount calculated as provided for in § 1-621.09a, and as determined by the enrolled actuary engaged pursuant to § 1-621.09a(a).
(d-2) If at any time the balance of the Fund is not sufficient to meet all obligations against the Fund, the Fund shall have claims on the revenues of the District of Columbia to the extent necessary to meet the obligation, subject to appropriation.
(d-3) All expenses incurred by the Chief Financial Officer in administering the Fund, including hiring staff for the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, shall be paid out of the Fund, subject to appropriation. The budget prepared and submitted by the Mayor pursuant to § 1-204.42 shall include recommended expenditures at a reasonable level for the forthcoming fiscal year for the administrative expenses of the Fund. The budget enacted pursuant to § 1-204.46 may designate the portion of the Fund to be allocated for the administrative expenses of the Fund; provided, that it shall not specify the specific manner in which, or the specific purposes for which, the Chief Financial Officer may expend such portion of the Fund.
(e) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this chapter, the Mayor may issue rules to establish vesting requirements for the provision of other post-employment benefits to annuitants. Any proposed rules promulgated by the Mayor shall be submitted to the Council for a 60-day period of review, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, and days of Council recess. If the Council does not approve or disapprove the proposed rules within the 60-day period, by resolution, the proposed rules shall be deemed disapproved.
(f) In the case of an annuitant who has separated pursuant to the District Retirement Benefit Program, no contribution shall be made by the District until the annuitant attains 62 years of age. The annuitant shall pay 100% of the cost of any health benefit plan selected by the annuitant until the annuitant attains age 62. Upon attaining 62 years of age, the District shall pay a portion of the cost of any health benefit plan selected by the annuitant in accordance with subsections (h)(1) or (2) of this section.
(g) In the case of an annuitant who retired pursuant to the Teachers’ Retirement System, or the Judges’ Retirement System or the Teachers’ Insurance and Annuity Association programs, the District shall pay the portion of the cost of any health benefit plan selected by the annuitant in accordance with subsection (h) of this section.
(h) The District contribution to post-employment health benefits for an annuitant described in subsection (g) of this section (and following the annuitant’s death, the annuitant’s eligible family members) shall be determined as follows:
(1) For annuitants who retire with at least 10 years of creditable District service, but less than 30 years of creditable District service, the District contribution to the cost of a health benefit plan selected by the annuitant shall be an amount equal to 25% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan (as secondary to Medicare) and 20% for the covered family member of the annuitant, plus an additional 2.5% for each year of creditable District service over 10 years; provided, that the District contribution shall not exceed 75% of the cost of the selected health benefits plan and 60% for the covered family member of the annuitant. The annuitant and family member shall contribute the applicable balance of the cost of the selected health benefit plan.
(2) For annuitants with 30 or more years of creditable District service, the District contribution shall be an amount equal to 75% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan and the annuitant shall contribute 25% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan. For a covered family member of an annuitant, the District contribution shall be an amount equal to 60% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan and the covered family member shall contribute 40% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan.
(3) For annuitants who are injured or killed in the line of duty, the District’s contribution shall be an amount equal to 75% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan and the annuitant shall contribute 25% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan. For a covered family member of an annuitant, the District contribution shall be an amount equal to 75% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan and the family member shall contribute 25% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan. This paragraph shall apply as of October 1, 2009.
(i) In the case of an annuitant who retired pursuant to the Police and Fire Retirement System, the District shall pay the portion of the cost of any health benefit plan selected by the annuitant in accordance with subsection (j) of this section.
(j) The District contribution to post-employment health benefits for an annuitant described in subsection (i) of this section (and following the annuitant’s death, the annuitant’s eligible family members) shall be determined as follows:
(1) For annuitants hired before November 10, 1996, who retire with at least 5 years of creditable District service, the District contribution shall be an amount equal to 75% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan and the annuitant shall contribute 25% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan. For a covered family member of an annuitant, the District contribution shall be an amount equal to 60% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan and the covered family member shall contribute 40% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan.
(2) For annuitants hired on or after November 10, 1996, with at least 10 years of creditable District service, but less than 25 years of creditable District service, the District contribution to the cost of a health benefit plan selected by the annuitant shall be an amount equal to 30% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan (as secondary to Medicare) for the annuitant, plus an additional 3% for each year of creditable District service over 10 years, and 25% for the covered family member of the annuitant, plus an additional 3% for each year of creditable District service over 10 years; provided, that the District contribution shall not exceed 75% of the cost of the selected health benefits plan for the annuitant and 60% of the cost of the selected health benefits plan for the covered family member of the annuitant. The annuitant and family member shall contribute the applicable balance of the cost of the selected health benefit plan.
(k) In the case of an individual who would otherwise be subject to the Police and Fire Retirement System upon retirement but who is killed in the line of duty and in the case of an individual who retires under the Police and Fire Retirement System due to an injury that occurred in the line of duty, the District shall pay the portion of the cost of any health benefit plan selected by the individual or the individual family member in accordance with subsection (l) of this section.
(l) For an individual covered by subsection (k) of this section, the District’s contribution to the cost of the selected health benefits plan of the individual shall be an amount equal to 75% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan and the individual shall contribute 25% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan. For a covered family member of the individual, the District contribution to the cost of the selected health benefit plan of the family member shall be an amount equal to 75% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan and the family member shall contribute 25% of the cost of the selected health benefit plan.
(m) An individual described in subsection (k) of this section shall be considered an annuitant for the purposes of this section.
