An Act To Require State Employees To Pay 15% of Their Health Insurance Costs
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0417
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Sponsors: WEAVER, NASS, EDGECOMB, FLETCHER, MILLETT, ROBINSON, TARDY, COURTNEY, TRAHAN
Amends: 5 MRSA §285

FIRST REGULAR SESSI01~-2009 
Legislative Document 
No. 417 
H.P.305 
House of Representatives, February 10, 2009 
An Act To Require State Employees To Pay 15% of Their Health 
Insurance Costs 
Reference to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative WEAVER of York. 
Cosponsored by Senator NASS of York and 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: EDGECOMB of Caribou, FLETCHER of Winslow, McKANE of Newcastle, 
MILLETT of Waterford, ROBINSON of Raymond, TARDY of Newport, Senators: 
COURTNEY of York, TRAHAN of Lincoln. 
PrilllL'd llll recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §285, sub-§7, as amended by PL 2001, c. 439, Pt. XX, §5 and 
PL 2003, c. 20, Pt. 00, §2 and affected by §4, is further amended to read: 
7. Payment by State. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the State, 
through the commission, shall pay 100% of only the employee's share of the individual 
premium for the standard plan identified and offered by the commission and available to 
the employee as authorized by the commission, 6JCCept for as follows: effective October 
1, 2009,95% of the premium; effective July 1, 2010, 90% of the premium; and effective 
July 1, 2011, 85% of the premium. For Legislators, for whom the State shall pay 50% of 
the health plan premium for dependent coverage. For any person appointed to a position 
after November 1, 1981 who is employed less than full time, the State shall pay a share of 
the employee's share reduced pro rata to reflect the reduced flmmber of work hours. The 
State may not pay any portion of the heaLth plan pFemium for a blind person eligible for 
the group health plan under subsection ], paragraph H or for a licensed foster parent 
eligible for the group health plan l:1flder subsection 1, paragraph I. 
For persons who were first employed before July 1, 1991, the State shalL pay 100.% of 
only the retiree's share of the premiums for the standard plan identified and offered b~ the: 
commission and available to the retiree, as authorized by the commission for persons who 
were previously eligible for this health plan pursuant to subsection 1, paragraph A and 
who have subsequently become eligible pursuant to subsection 1, paragraph G. 
For persons who were first employed by the State after July 1, 1991, the State shall pay a 
pro rata share portion of only the retiree's share of the premiums for the standard plan 
identified and offered by the commission'and available to the retiree, as authorized by the 
commission for persons who were previously eligible for this health plan pursuant to 
subsection 1, paragraph A and who have subsequently become eligible pursuant to 
subsection 1, paragraph G based on the total number of years of participation in the group 
health plan prior to retirement as follows: 
Years of Participation 
or more years 
but less than 10 years 
but less than 9 years 
but less than 8 years 
but less than 7 years 
but less than 6 years 
Less than 5 years 
State Portion 
100% group health plan premium 
90% group health plan premium 
80% group health plan premium 
70% group health plan premium 
60% group health plan premium 
50% group health plan premium 
No contribution 
Pursuant to Title 20-A, section 12722, subsection 5, this subsection applies to participants 
in the defmed contribution plan offered by the Maine Community College System Board 
of Trustees under Title 20-A, section 12722. 
Sec. 2. Calculation and transfer; health insurance premium contribution 
savings. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the State Budget Officer shall 
calculate the amount of savings in section 1 that applies against each General Fund 
account for all departments and agencies from savings in the state share of the employee 
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premium contribution and shall transfer the amounts by financial order upon the approval 
of the Governor. These transfers are considered adjustments to appropriations in fiscal 
year 2009-10. The State Budget Officer shall provide the Joint Standing Committee on 
Appropriations and Financial Affairs a report of the transferred amounts no later than 
February 1, 2010. 
SUMMARY 
This bill reduces the state share of the individual premium for state employees from 
100% to 95% effective October 1, 2009, 90% effective July 1, 2010 and 85% effective 
July 1, 2011.