Cancer
Insurance Introduction (Updated February 2008)
By way of Laws 1996, Chapter
283, section 2, effective July 1, 1997, the Fund Manager of the Public Safety
Personnel Retirement System was required to establish and administer a fire
fighter cancer insurance policy program for active and retired members. Employers are required to pay a premium of $100.00
per year (effective 2005-06 billing year per the Fund Manager) for each active member
in order to pay for this benefit. Laws 2001 chapter 13 amended the law to
remove the requirement that a active member must have
at least 5 years of credited service in the PSPRS before becoming eligible for
benefits under the Cancer Insurance Program. Benefits now begin on the Member’s
date membership in the system.
Through the efforts of the
firefighter membership, legislation was enacted (Laws 2000, chapter 39) to
allow the Fund Manager to self-insure this program. The Fund Manager elected to self-insure this
program on July 1, 2000 and as a result increased the benefits under this
program. Furthermore,
the Peace
Officers were joined into this benefit by way of the 2007 legislation (HB2268).
All claims must be submitted to PSPRS for Adjudication and within six months
from Date of Service.
This supplemental insurance
coverage is designed to pay costs that arise while undergoing cancer treatment
that may not be covered by the members or retirees health insurance medical
plan. The Cancer Insurance Program assists in out of pocket expenses that are
not covered by other insurance (not including co-pays or required deductibles)
and according to the Schedule of Benefits.
The program automatically
covers all members who are active in the Public Safety Personnel Retirement
System as reflected on the records of the System. The program also covers retired members under
the System for a certain period of time after retirement. This time period is five months for each year
of credited service accumulated toward retirement under the System. If a member
has made application for benefits before their accumulated retiree coverage has
ended they may continue the coverage at the same rate that is being paid by the
employers.
For claims information or
questions about the program, please call the Public Safety Personnel Retirement
System office at 602-255-5575, extension 2024 for Annette Jorgensen and
extension 2013 for