(b) The total cost of providing any health benefit plan offered by a public institution of higher education to a part-time faculty member under this section may not increase annually by more than the annual increase in premium amounts paid for contracted health benefit plans that is permitted under ORS 243.135 (8)(b) or 243.866 (9)(b).
(2)(a) In order to receive employee-only health care benefits under this section, a part-time faculty member must select a home public institution of higher education for the duration of the benefit year under a process established by each institution. A home public institution of higher education selected under this subsection:
(A) Must be one at which the part-time faculty member is working during the academic term at the time of the application; and
(B) Is responsible for:
(i) Determining whether the part-time faculty member is eligible to receive health care benefits under this section;
(ii) Determining, on a semiannual basis, whether a part-time faculty member who was found to be eligible to receive health care benefits under sub-subparagraph (i) of this subparagraph continues to be eligible to receive health care benefits under this section;
(iii) Collecting the premiums for health benefit plans that must be paid by the part-time faculty member under subsection (3) of this section;
(iv) Paying the full cost of the insurance premiums for providing health benefit plans to the part-time faculty member, subject to reimbursement as described in subsection (4) of this section; and
(v) Administering and providing health benefit plans to the part-time faculty member in the manner described in this section.
(b) In order to receive health care benefits under this section, a part-time faculty member must provide the home public institution of higher education with all information necessary for the institution to determine the eligibility of the part-time faculty member to receive health care benefits under this section.
(3)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, a part-time faculty member at a public institution of higher education shall pay 10 percent of all insurance premiums for health benefit plans.
(b) A public institution of higher education may provide by collective bargaining at the institution to pay for some or all of the insurance premiums that must otherwise be paid by a part-time faculty member under paragraph (a) of this subsection. The public institution of higher education may not be reimbursed under subsection (4) of this section for the costs the institution incurs to provide health benefit plans under this paragraph.
(4)(a) Every three months a public institution of higher education may request reimbursement from the Higher Education Coordinating Commission for the cost of paying insurance premiums for providing health benefit plans to each part-time faculty member who has selected the institution as the faculty member’s home public institution of higher education under subsection (2) of this section.
(b) The commission shall use moneys from the Part-Time Faculty Insurance Fund established under ORS 350.357 to fully reimburse each public institution of higher education for all documented costs requested by the institution under this subsection, except for any costs described in subsection (3) of this section.
(5) Unless otherwise provided for by collective bargaining, a part-time faculty member at a public institution of higher education who is eligible for health care benefits under subsection (1) of this section may receive health care benefits only in the manner provided by this section.
(6) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission may adopt rules necessary to implement subsection (4) of this section. [Formerly 351.704; 2021 c.583 §1]
Note: Sections 2 and 3, chapter 583, Oregon Laws 2021, provide:
Sec. 2. A public institution of higher education that, on the effective date of this 2021 Act [July 19, 2021], provided health care benefits to part-time faculty members who are not eligible for health care benefits under the amendments to ORS 350.355 by section 1 of this 2021 Act:
(1) May not increase the eligibility requirements that must be met by a part-time faculty member who is not eligible for health care benefits under the amendments to ORS 350.355 by section 1 of this 2021 Act in order for the part-time faculty member to qualify for health care benefits from the institution; and
(2) Must continue to provide comparable health care benefits to part-time faculty members who are not eligible for health care benefits under the amendments to ORS 350.355 by section 1 of this 2021 Act. [2021 c.583 §2]
Sec. 3. Any realized savings by a public institution of higher education as a result of the amendments to ORS 350.355 by section 1 of this 2021 Act are considered employment relations for purposes of collective bargaining under ORS 243.650 to 243.782. [2021 c.583 §3]