§ 12-8-210 - Insurance -- Medical and hospital. - Arkansas Statutes

12-8-210. Insurance -- Medical and hospital.

(a) (1) The Department of Arkansas State Police is authorized and directed to obtain a policy or contract of medical and hospital insurance or to establish a self-insurance fund in lieu thereof to provide medical and hospital insurance for all uniformed employees of the department.

(2) The department shall pay the premium, fee, or other costs for the policy or contract or payments into a self-insurance fund from funds appropriated to the department for personal service matching or which may be specifically appropriated for that purpose.

(b) The department is authorized to provide hospitalization and medical services coverage under a group health insurance program or may in lieu thereof provide coverage for hospitalization and medical insurance services under a self-insurance program established by the department for the spouses and dependents of uniformed personnel of the department and to pay the premium thereon or payments into the self-insurance fund from funds appropriated for that purpose.

(c) In the event that the department, acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Arkansas State Police Commission therefor, exercises the option to establish a self-insurance program, this program shall provide hospitalization and medical services coverage for uniformed employees of the department and for the spouses and dependents of uniformed personnel of the department as authorized in this section and shall be operated in accordance with policies, rules, procedures, and benefits prescribed by the commission.

(d) Members of the department who retire and receive retirement benefits under the State Police Retirement System after July 1, 1985, shall be eligible to participate in the group health self-insurance program established by the commission for uniformed personnel and for their spouses and dependents in the same manner and under the same conditions as provided in 21-5-410 -- 21-5-412, which authorize retired state employees receiving retirement benefits under the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System to participate in the state employees' hospitalization and medical insurance program.