Bill would let some retirees keep retiree health coverage when elected to local offices after reported denials
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Summary
House Retirement Committee approved a measure to let state retirees who run for offices covered by the State Health Benefit Plan choose to remain on retiree coverage; Glynn County Board member Susan Lee described denied claims and sharply higher costs after she was moved to a different plan upon election.
Representative Rick Townsend presented House Bill 969 (substitute LC521017S) as a consent‑based fix to protect retired state employees who run for offices covered by the State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP).
Townsend said the bill would give eligible retirees a choice to remain on their retiree plan rather than be involuntarily moved onto an active employee plan when they are elected to a body that participates in SHBP.
Glynn County Board of Education member Susan Lee testified that after being sworn in she experienced denied claims and materially higher out‑of‑pocket costs when her insurer changed. "I was informed that the same supplies were now $213.38," Lee said, describing a charge for CPAP supplies that had previously cost $10.84 under her prior retiree arrangement. She told the committee she would not have run had she known the insurance consequences.
District and school officials described how the issue can arise when a retiree is elected to a body that participates in the SHBP and is automatically placed on a different insurer or employer plan. Mike Lackerby of Glenn County Schools noted the underlying code cites the subsection of law that controls which plans and employees are affected.
Supporters, including GSBA, said the bill is narrowly targeted to those offices whose benefit package is part of SHBP; the sponsor and witnesses said the bill does not change TRS retirement benefits or broader employer contribution rates. Stephanie Tanner of the Georgia School Boards Association said the measure enables experienced retired educators to serve on local boards without the risk of losing retiree coverage.
After questions about Medicare Advantage and plan mechanics, the committee approved a motion to give the bill a due‑pass recommendation. Members noted the language targets offices that receive the State Health Benefit Plan and that broader expansions might raise fiscal questions requiring separate review.