8-27-301 - Local education insurance committee Staff Regulations Delegation of authority. [Amended effective January 1, 2010. See the Compiler's Notes.]
8-27-301. Local education insurance committee Staff Regulations Delegation of authority. [Amended effective January 1, 2010. See the Compiler's Notes.]
(a) (1) There is hereby created a local education insurance committee to be composed of the governor, who may designate the commissioner of education to attend in place of the governor as a full voting member, a representative of local school boards to be selected by the Tennessee School Boards Association, the state treasurer, the commissioner of commerce and insurance, the comptroller of the treasury, the commissioner of finance and administration and three (3) teachers elected to represent the three (3) grand divisions under the procedure contained in § 8-34-302.
(2) The state treasurer, the commissioner of commerce and insurance, the comptroller of the treasury and the commissioner of finance and administration are authorized to designate an alternate representative to attend, participate and vote at meetings of the committee when that respective member is unable to attend. The commissioner of education also has the authority to designate an alternate representative if the commissioner of education is designated by the governor, pursuant to this subsection (a), to serve on the local education insurance committee. The designation of an alternate representative must be made in writing to the chair of the committee.
(b) The local education insurance committee has the authority to enter into contracts with insurance companies, claims administrators and other organizations for some or all of the insurance benefits or services, including actuarial and consulting advice, necessary to administer the plans authorized in this part. The procurement of such contracts shall be governed by the provisions of § 12-4-109, and the rules promulgated thereunder.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of title 56 to the contrary, the local education insurance committee is authorized to enter into self-insured contracts with health maintenance organizations established pursuant to title 56, chapter 32. The committee shall permit participation in such health maintenance organizations only in those locations for which the organization has been issued a certificate of authority by the department of commerce and insurance.
(d) This committee shall act separately from the committee established under § 8-27-101, but the two (2) committees shall coordinate their activities to the maximum extent consistent with protecting the insurance coverage for each group.
(e) The staff for the state group insurance program shall act as staff for the local education group insurance program.
(f) The local education insurance committee has the authority to promulgate rules and regulations for the purpose of administering the group insurance plan for local education employees. Such rules and regulations may include provisions for the handling and resolution of disputes regarding benefits of the insurance plan. [Amended effective January 1, 2010. See the Compiler's Notes.]
(g) The local education insurance committee has the authority to delegate to a subcommittee or to staff the ability to handle and resolve disputes, including appeals, regarding benefits and the application of medical necessity guidelines of the insurance plan.
[Acts 1976, ch. 804, §§ 4, 8; T.C.A., § 8-4504; Acts 1982, ch. 914, § 1; 1985, ch. 455, § 1; 1990, ch. 776, §§ 2, 4; 1991, ch. 128, § 2; 1997, ch. 513, §§ 2, 9; 1998, ch. 905, § 3; 1999, ch. 116, § 3; 2009, ch. 502, § 3.]