2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 31 - Compensation and Benefits of Government Personnel (§§ 721 — 757k) › § 729c - Public Employees Health Benefits Act—Definitions

When used in this § 729a—729n of this title, the following terms shall have the meaning stated below:
(a) Secretary.— Means the Secretary of the Treasury.
(b) Employee.— Any appointed or elected official or employee in active service in the Executive Branch of Government or any pensioner of any branch of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and its agencies, departments, and municipalities, but excluding the officials and employees of public corporations, the Puerto Rico Police, and the University of Puerto Rico, and the officials and employees of the Judicial Branch and the Legislative Branch of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the officials and employees of the Office of the Comptroller, the officials and employees of the Municipal Revenues Collection Center (CRIM, Spanish acronym), and the officials and employees of the Office of the Ombudsman who may avail themselves of the plans selected by the Administration, if they do so desire, and if the public corporation, the Judicial Branch, the Legislative Branch, the Office of the Comptroller, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Municipal Revenues Collection Center (CRIM), and such officials and employees that comply with the provisions of this §§ 729a—729n of this title. The term “employee” also includes officials and employees in active duty outside of Puerto Rico.
(c) Eligible employee.— Means an employee who has been declared eligible, through regulation, by the Secretary of the Treasury.
(d) Government.— Means the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and its political subdivisions and agencies, and the municipalities. Public corporations may be considered within this term if they so desire and comply with the provisions hereof.
(e) Employee organization.— Means an association or other organization of employees in Puerto Rico, which is statewide, and in which membership is open to all employees of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, its agencies, departments, municipalities, and public corporations, who are eligible to enroll in a health benefit plan under §§ 729a—729n of this title.
(f) Carrier.— Means a commercial or private insurer, and association of the same type as Blue Cross or Blue Shield, an insurance cooperative licensed to operate in Puerto Rico, or any employees’ organization as such is herein defined, which is economically solvent and gives bond to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Treasury, to provide, pay for, or reimburse the cost of health services under group insurance policies or contracts, medical and hospital service agreements, membership or subscription contracts, or similar group arrangements, in consideration or premiums or other periodic charges payable to such insurer.
(g) Family member.— Includes the spouse of any employee, as well as domestic partners, that live together and share a domestic life, meaning that they are persons who are single, of legal age and with full legal capacity, live together voluntarily in a stable and ongoing manner. In addition to spouses or domestic partners of employees, the legal dependents of the parties, including legally adopted children, as well as persons who substantially depend on such employees or their spouses or domestic partners for their support are also included, in accordance with the regulations set forth by the Administration.
(h) Legislative Branch.— The Branch constituted by the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Office of Legislative Services, the Office of the Superintendent of the Capitol, the Translations Bureau, the Standing and Special Joint Committees of both legislative houses, and any other agency which may be created in the future within the Legislature.
[(i) Added by Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 2010. See editor’s note below.]
(j) Office of the Comptroller.— Office of the Comptroller of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(k) Office of the Ombudsman.— Office of the Ombudsman of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(l) Domestic partners.— Persons who are single, of legal age and with full legal capacity, live together voluntarily and share a domestic life in a stable and ongoing manner.
History —June 29, 1963, No. 95, p. 280, § 3; Mar. 25, 1976, No. 18, p. 40, § 4; July 1, 1988, No. 59, § 1; Dec. 29, 2003, No. 324, § 1; Jan. 20, 2010, No. 11, § 1; Dec. 24, 2011, No. 276, § 1; Sept. 29, 2012, No. 280, § 1; June 26, 2013, No. 36, § 1; Feb. 19, 2015, No. 16, § 1; Dec. 14, 2015, No. 214, § 1.