1. The Board shall: (a) Establish and carry out a program to be known as the Public Employees Benefits Program which: (1) Must include a program relating to group life, accident or health insurance, or any combination of these; and (2) May include: (I) A plan that offers flexibility in benefits, and for which the rates must be based only on the experience of the participants in the plan and not in combination with the experience of participants in any other plan offered under the Program; or (II) A program to reduce taxable compensation or other forms of compensation other than deferred compensation, for the benefit of all state officers and employees and other persons who participate in the Program. (b) Ensure that the Program is funded on an actuarially sound basis and operated in accordance with sound insurance and business practices. To perform that duty, the Board may use actuarial services or other appropriate services and resources provided by the Authority or any contractor of the Authority. (c) Within the limits of available resources, maximize the benefits available to participants in the Program and the ability of such participants to access available benefits to promote the recruitment and retention of state employees, including, without limitation, by establishing programs to ensure the provision of high quality customer service to assist participants in navigating the benefits available under the Program. 2. In establishing and carrying out the Program, the Board shall: (a) For the purpose of establishing actuarial data to determine rates and coverage for active and retired state officers and employees and their dependents, commingle the claims experience of such active and retired officers and employees and their dependents for whom the Program provides primary health insurance coverage into a single risk pool. (b) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, negotiate and contract pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 1 of NRS 287.025 with the governing body of any county, school district, municipal corporation, political subdivision, public corporation or other local governmental agency of the State of Nevada that wishes to obtain exclusive group insurance for all of its active and retired officers and employees and their dependents, except as otherwise provided in sub-subparagraph (III) of subparagraph (2) of paragraph (h), by participation in the Program. The Board shall establish separate rates and coverage for active and retired officers and employees of those local governmental agencies and their dependents based on actuarial reports that commingle the claims experience of such active and retired officers and employees and their dependents for whom the Program provides primary health insurance coverage into a single risk pool. (c) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (d), provide public notice in writing of any proposed changes in rates or coverage to each participating public agency that may be affected by the changes. Notice must be provided at least 30 days before the effective date of the changes. (d) If a proposed change is a change in the premium or contribution charged for, or coverage of, health insurance, provide written notice of the proposed change to all participants in the Program. The notice must be provided at least 30 days before the date on which a participant in the Program is required to select or change the participants policy of health insurance. (e) Purchase policies of life, accident or health insurance, or any combination of these, or, if applicable, a program to reduce the amount of taxable compensation pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 125, from any company qualified to do business in this State or provide similar coverage through a plan of self-insurance established pursuant to NRS 287.0433 for the benefit of all eligible participants in the Program. (f) Except as otherwise provided in this title, develop and establish other employee benefits as necessary. (g) Investigate and approve or disapprove any contract proposed pursuant to NRS 287.0479 . (h) Adopt such regulations and perform such other duties as are necessary to carry out the provisions of NRS 287.010 to 287.245 , inclusive, including, without limitation, the establishment of: (1) Fees for applications for participation in the Program and for the late payment of premiums or contributions; (2) Conditions for entry and reentry into and exit from the Program by local governmental agencies pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 1 of NRS 287.025 , which: (I) Must include a minimum period of 4 years of participation for entry into the Program; (II) Must include a requirement that participation of any retired officers and employees of the local governmental agency whose last continuous period of enrollment with the Program began after November 30, 2008, terminates upon termination of the local governmental agencys contract with the Program; and (III) May allow for the exclusion of active and retired officers and employees of the local governmental agency who are eligible for health coverage from a health and welfare plan or trust that arose out of collective bargaining under chapter 288 of NRS or a trust established pursuant to 29 U.S.C. 186; (3) Procedures by which a group of participants in the Program may leave the Program pursuant to NRS 287.0479 and conditions and procedures for reentry into the Program by those participants; (4) Specific procedures for the determination of contested claims; (5) Procedures for review and notification of the termination of coverage of persons pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 4 of NRS 287.023 ; and (6) Procedures for the payments that are required to be made pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 4 of NRS 287.023 . 3. The Board may use any services provided to state agencies and may use the services of the Authority for procurement in accordance with NRS 232.49925 or the services of the Purchasing Division of the Department of Administration to establish and carry out the Program. 4. The Board may engage the services of an attorney who specializes in health plans and health care law as necessary to assist in carrying out the Program. 5. The Board may make recommendations to the Legislature concerning legislation that it deems necessary and appropriate regarding the Program. 6. A participating public agency is not liable for any obligation of the Program other than indemnification of the Board and its employees against liability relating to the administration of the Program, subject to the limitations specified in NRS 41.0349 . 7. As used in this section, employee benefits includes any form of compensation provided to a public employee except federal benefits, wages earned, legal holidays, deferred compensation and benefits available pursuant to chapter 286 of NRS.
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