22959.80-22959.86

GOVERNMENT CODE
SECTION 22959.80-22959.86




22959.80.  This part shall be known and may be cited as the
California State University Annuitant Vision Care Program. The
purpose of this part is to do all of the following:
   (a) Promote increased economy and efficiency in providing vision
benefits to California State University annuitants.
   (b) Enable the California State University to use economies of
scale to provide a vision care plan similar to those commonly
provided in private industry and in other states.
   (c) Recognize and protect the California State University's
investment in each employee by providing into retirement the option
of a vision care program, and to promote and preserve continued good
health among California State University annuitants.




22959.81.  The California State University Annuitant Vision Care
Program shall be administered by the Office of the Chancellor of the
California State University.



22959.82.  "Annuitant" means any of the following:
   (a) A person who has retired within 120 days of separation from
California State University employment and who receives a retirement
allowance under any state retirement or University of California
retirement system to which the California State University was a
contributing party.
   (b) A surviving family member receiving an allowance in place of
an annuitant who has retired as provided in subdivision (a), or as
the survivor of a deceased California State University employee under
Section 21541 or 21546.
   (c) A person receiving a survivor allowance pursuant to Article 3
(commencing with Section 21570) of Chapter 14 of Part 3 if he or she
was eligible to enroll in a health benefit plan on the date of the
California State University employee member's death, on whose account
the survivor allowance is payable.
   (d) A family member of a deceased retired member of the State
Teachers' Retirement Plan, if the deceased member meets both of the
following conditions:
   (1) Retired within 120 days of separation from California State
University employment.
   (2) Prior to his or her death, received a retirement allowance
that did not provide for a survivor allowance to family members.



22959.83.  (a) An annuitant who retires from a California State
University campus or the office of the chancellor may enroll in a
vision care plan offered under this part, if any of the following
apply:
   (1) The annuitant was enrolled in a health benefit plan, a dental
care plan, or vision care plan at the time of separation for
retirement, and retired within 120 days of the date of separation.
   (2) The annuitant was not enrolled in a health benefit plan, a
dental care plan, or vision care plan at the time of separation for
retirement, but was eligible for enrollment as an employee at the
time of separation for retirement, and retired within 120 days of the
date of separation.
   (b) The California State University has no duty to locate or
notify any annuitant who may be eligible to enroll, or to provide
names or addresses to any person, agency, or entity for the purpose
of notifying those annuitants.



22959.84.  A California State University employee who was enrolled
in a vision care plan at the time he or she became an annuitant under
state or federal provisions may continue his or her enrollment,
including eligible family members, without discrimination as to
benefit coverage, as an enrolled person within this program. An
annuitant who is eligible for this program is a person who meets the
requirements of Section 22959.83 and at the time of retirement was
employed by a California State University campus or the office of the
chancellor.


22959.85.  (a) The California State University may contract with one
or more vision care plans for annuitants and eligible family members
if the carrier or carriers have operated successfully in the area of
vision care benefits for a reasonable period, as determined by the
California State University.
   (b) The California State University, as the program administrator,
has full administrative authority over this program and associated
funds and shall require the monthly premium to be paid by the
annuitant for the vision care plan. The premium to be paid by the
annuitant shall be deducted from his or her monthly retirement
allowance. A vision care plan or plans provided under this authority
shall be funded by the annuitants' premiums. All premiums received
from annuitants shall be deposited in the California State University
Annuitant Vision Care Program trust account, which is hereby
created. Any income earned on the moneys in the California State
University Annuitant Vision Care Program trust account shall be
credited to the trust account.
   (c) An annuitant may enroll in a vision care plan provided by a
carrier that also provides a health benefit plan pursuant to Section
22850 if the employee or annuitant is also enrolled in the health
benefit plan provided by that carrier. However, nothing in this
section may be construed to require an annuitant to enroll in a
vision care plan and a health benefit plan provided by the same
carrier. An annuitant enrolled in this program shall only enroll in a
vision plan or vision plans contracted for by the California State
University.
   (d) No contract for a vision care plan may be entered into unless
the California State University determines it is reasonable to do so.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any premium moneys paid
into this program by annuitants for the purposes of a vision care
plan shall be used for the cost of providing vision care benefits to
eligible, enrolled annuitants and their eligible and enrolled
dependents, the payment of claims for those vision benefits, and the
cost of administration of the vision care plan or plans under this
vision care program, including startup costs, as determined by the
California State University.
   (e) If the California State University determines that it is not
economically feasible to continue this program any time after its
commencement, the California State University may, upon written
notice to enrollees and to the contracting plan or plans, terminate
this program within a reasonable time. The notice of termination to
the plan or plans shall be determined by the California State
University. The notice to enrollees of the termination of the program
shall commence no later than three months prior to the actual date
of termination of the program. The California State University shall
notify the Legislature of a decision to terminate the program.
   (f) Premium rates for this program shall be determined by the
California State University in conjunction with the contracted plan
or plans and shall be considered separate and apart from active
employee premium rates.



22959.86.  On or after July 1, 2008, the California State University
shall implement the California State University Annuitant Vision
Care Program.