ARTICLE XIX INSURANCE

North Smithfield School District

A. The North Smithfield School Department shall provide family or individual health insurance coverage, as applicable, for all certified personnel, subject to the following provisions listed below.

Commencing with the 2016-17 school year of this agreement, the School Committee shall provide each employee covered by this agreement the health insurance package(s) described in the attached Summary of Benefits within Appendix B-2 (1000/2000 plan). Employees shall be responsible for the first 500/1000 amount of said 1000/2000 initial deductible amounts. The District shall be responsible for the balance of said initial deductible amounts.

The District shall reimburse an employee for such payments in a separate (non-payroll) check, with no taxes withheld, within 7-14 business days of their submission of the "Reimbursement of Health Care Deductible" form and the following required attachments:

a. Health Care providers invoice “clearly” identifying the deductible and the amount (to preserve privacy, employee may “black out” personal information and related service/procedure).

b. Receipt or record of payment verifying payment of deductible.

c. The parties will incorporate the terms of the 2017 Deductible Reimbursement Memorandum of Understanding between The North Smithfield School Committee and The North Smithfield Teachers Association/NEARI into the collective bargaining agreement.

d. The parties will incorporate the terms of the 2017 Health Insurance Premium Rebate Memorandum of Understanding between The North Smithfield School Committee and the North Smithfield Teachers Association/NEARI into the collective bargaining agreement.

In the event the School Committee changes the healthcare provider, it must provide a health insurance package(s) substantially equivalent or superior to the package identified in Appendix B.

B. Group life insurance of Fifteen Thousand and no/100 ($15,000) Dollars per teacher fully paid by the School Committee.

C. Subject to subparagraph G, the School Committee shall provide, on a fully paid basis for all certified personnel of the North Smithfield School Department, Family Plan Delta Dental, or equivalent, Level III.

D. The School Committee shall provide Workers' Compensation coverage for all teachers.

E. Dual Coverage Waiver

a. Any teacher who has double health care coverage may elect to drop the coverage provided by the employer and receive an amount not to exceed $1,500.

Teachers wishing to participate shall sign a waiver form prior to September 30 of each school year and thereafter reasonably during the year in accordance with the health care provider regulations. Such payment shall be made on or before June 30 for the year ending August 31 on a pro rata basis for any period during the year the teacher has effectively elected to be paid in lieu of such coverage.

b. Any teacher who has double Delta Dental coverage may elect to drop the coverage provided by the North Smithfield School Committee and receive one-half (1/2) of the net cost minus the family co-pay of said coverage. Such payment will be made no later than June 30th.

Teachers wishing to participate shall sign a waiver form prior to September 30th of that school year.

c. In the event a teacher who has elected to drop health care coverage and/or Delta Dental coverage as provided above decides to reinstate either or both coverages, he/she may do so as per health care provider’s regulation.

A teacher who has coverage so reinstated shall repay the School Department on a pro-rated basis.

d. Any teacher that is covered under an individual or family health and/or dental insurance plan provided by the School Department is not eligible to participate in the Dual Coverage Waiver program.

F. Teachers employed less than one-half (1/2) time shall receive two-fifths (2/5) benefits. Teachers employed one-half (1/2) time or more shall receive prorated benefits; provided, however, that in order for said teachers to receive said benefits, they must pay to the Committee the difference between the prorated amount and the full cost of said benefits.

G. Each member of the bargaining unit shall contribute toward the premium cost of family or individual health insurance coverage according to the following table:

H. For all persons covered by this Agreement, and who have worked twenty-five (25) years in North Smithfield as a teacher, and are at least 58 years of age, shall be entitled to the terms of the individual health and dental insurance plan in effect for all teachers each year under the Collective Bargaining Agreement for a maximum period of seven (7) consecutive years from and after retirement, but in no event beyond the date the retiree attains the age of sixty-five (65), payment of the premiums for which shall be allocated the same as set forth under the Collective Bargaining Agreement each year such coverage is provided hereunder for the current employees.

If the retiree obtains such coverage elsewhere, or is eligible for such coverage whether from another source of employment, or through a spouse, the retiree shall not be eligible for such coverage hereunder. If the retiree thereafter loses his/her coverage or becomes ineligible to receive such coverage, such retiree shall once again be eligible to receive the remainder of such coverage as soon as feasible after prior notice to the North Smithfield School Department of such loss.

Upon request of the School Department, the retiree shall annually provide the North Smithfield School Department with a written affidavit of his/her current alternate coverage, or the availability thereof from another source or the absence of same. The affidavit shall include the retirees mailing address and shall be filed with the North Smithfield School Department not later than thirty (30) days following request by North Smithfield School Department. Failure to provide such an affidavit shall relieve the North Smithfield School Department of including the retiree in such group coverage for that year and until compliance with this Section.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, to be eligible for such coverage, the retiree must file a written notice of retirement with the Superintendent on or before January 31st to be effective commencing at the end of the then current school year.

I. If a Cadillac Tax is implemented, a committee shall be immediately established consisting of three (3) individuals selected by the NSTA and three (3) individuals selected by the Committee to review issues pertaining to the so called "Cadillac Tax" associated with the Affordable Care Act and its potential future application to the health care plans to be offered under the successors to this Contract. The Committee shall report to the parties regarding its findings. The Committee shall remain as a standing Committee for the duration of this contract. In the event that the contractual benefit plan will cause the penalty provision of the Affordable Health Care Act to impact the School Department, the parties will agree to a mutually agreed upon plan.