PERS Medical & Prescription Drug Benefits. The District will provide group medical and prescription drug benefits, as provided below, through the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS). The PERS rules, regulations and plan documents will control on all issues concerning benefits, including the types and levels of benefits offered and eligibility for those benefits. The Union acknowledges that it understands these benefits may not equate to benefits previously available to employees and retirees through the various optional medical plans and the Prescription Drug Plan. Because coverage will be provided through PERS, the District and the Union understand that PERS may terminate or change covered expenses, benefit payments and co-payments on covered benefits, deductibles, lifetime and/or annual maximums and may implement various cost control features. Except for Survivors Benefits, as provided for in Section 41, the Union waives the right to any group medical or prescription drug benefit granted expressly or implied under other sections of this Agreement, or by any other agreement between the parties or by any District guideline, policy or practice if that benefit is not offered through the PERS medical plan.
PERS Medical & Prescription Drug Benefits. A. PERS-Medical & Prescription Drugs The District will provide group medical and prescription drug benefits, as provided below through the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). PERS rules, regulations and plan documents will control on all issues concerning benefits, including the types and levels of benefits offered and eligibility for those benefits. The Association acknowledges that it understands that these benefits may not equate to benefits previously available to employees and retirees through the various optional medical plans and the prescription drug plan. Because coverage will be provided through PERS, the District and the Association understand that PERS may terminate or change covered expenses, benefit payments and co- payments on covered benefits, deductibles, lifetime and/or annual maximums and may implement various cost control features. Except for Survivors Benefits, as provided for in Provision 5.5, the Association waives the right to any group medical or prescription drug benefit granted expressly or impliedly under other provisions of this Agreement, or by any other agreement between the parties or by any District guideline, policy or practice if that benefit is not offered through the PERS medical plan. It is the intent of the parties that providing these benefits shall result in no additional cost to the District over the projected future cost of the current plans. To that end, all employees eligible for PERS medical benefits who enroll for such benefits shall be responsible for a premium co-payment in the amount of fifteen dollars and three cents ($15.03) per month subject to the changes articulated in subsection B below. The parties acknowledge that the District's contribution to the PERS premium for eligible retirees has been subject to a seven (7) year phase-in period after which retired employees and active employees pay the same premium co-payment toward their total PERS medical premium cost. Employees' premium co-payments will be paid for through payroll deductions. Retiree premium co-payments will be deducted from the retirement allowance paid by PERS. If a retiree's retirement allowance is not sufficient to pay the entire co-payment, the retiree must pay the balance due on such premium co-payment directly to PERS. If such payment is not received by the due date, health care coverage will automatically, immediately and permanently cease. These rules are intended to comply with the premium co-payment procedures establishe...
