Administration -- Eligibility -- Benefits -- Rulemaking -- Advisory board. (1) As used in this section: (a) "Assigned service area" means the operations subdivisions of a geographical service area that a local government entity creates based on the local government entity's emergency medical services operational needs. (b) "Basic life insurance benefit" means the standard group life insurance benefit offered by PEHP that combines basic life, line-of-duty, accidental death and disability, and dependent coverage into one benefit package. (c) "Basic long-term disability benefit" means a $1,000 monthly benefit arising from a disability determined in accordance with Title 49, Chapter 21, Public Employees' Long-Term Disability Act, and excluding any coverage offered on a pilot basis. (d) "Dental plan" means the same as that term is defined in Section 31A-22-646. (e) "Emergency medical services operations" means an emergency medical services provider's duties, as assigned by the local government entity, including: (i) 911 call response in the assigned service area; (ii) standby services for regular operations or special events; (iii) training; and (iv) emergency medical services-related community engagement in the geographical service area. (f) "Geographical service area" means a local government entity's jurisdiction. (g) "Health benefit plan" means the same as that term is defined in Section 31A-1-301. (h) "Local government entity" means a political subdivision that: (i) is licensed as a ground ambulance provider under Part 5, Ambulance and Paramedic Providers, or a quick response provider as designated under Section 53-2d-403; and (ii) does not offer health insurance benefits to volunteer emergency medical service personnel. (i) "PEHP" means the Public Employees' Benefit and Insurance Program created in Section 49-20-103. (j) "Political subdivision" means a county, a municipality, a limited purpose government entity described in Title 17B, Limited Purpose Local Government Entities - Special Districts, or Title 17D, Limited Purpose Local Government Entities - Other Entities, or an entity created by an interlocal agreement under Title 11, Chapter 13, Interlocal Cooperation Act. (k) "Qualifying association" means an association that represents two or more political subdivisions in the state. (l) "Qualifying community" means any of the following located in a county of the second class: (i) a city of the fifth class; or (ii) a town. (2) The Volunteer Emergency Medical Service Personnel Insurance Program shall promote recruitment and retention of volunteer emergency medical service personnel by making insurance available to volunteer emergency medical service personnel in accordance with this section. (3) (a) The bureau shall contract with a qualifying association to create, implement, and administer the Volunteer Emergency Medical Service Personnel Insurance Program described in this section. (b) The qualifying association will create promotional campaigns for the Volunteer Emergency Medical Service Personnel Insurance Program and volunteer emergency medical service recruitment and retention including outreach to local government entities through social media, video production, and other media platforms. (4) Participation in the program is limited to any individual who: (a) is licensed under Section 53-2d-402 as an emergency medical technician, an advanced emergency medical technician, or a paramedic; (b) is able to perform all necessary functions associated with the license; (c) provides emergency medical services under the direction of a local governmental entity: (i) by participating in at least 20% of emergency medical services operations during a rolling twelve-month period; and (ii) within a qualifying community or a county of the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth class; and (iii) (A) as a volunteer under the Fair Labor Standards Act, in accordance with 29 C.F.R. Sec. 553.106; or (B) as a part-time unbenefited employee, as classified by the employing local government entity; (d) if seeking health insurance: (i) (A) is not eligible for a health benefit plan through an employer or a spouse's employer; and (B) is not eligible for medical coverage under a government sponsored healthcare program; or (ii) the individual's premium cost for individual, double, or family coverage through another source exceeds 20% or greater of the premium cost of the program created by this section; (e) if seeking dental insurance: (i) (A) is not eligible for a dental plan through an employer or a spouse's employer; and (B) is not eligible for dental coverage under a government sponsored healthcare program; or (ii) the individual's premium cost for individual, double, or family coverage exceeds 20% or greater of the premium cost of the program created by this section; and (f) resides in the state. (5) (a) A participant in the program is eligible to participate in PEHP in accordance with Subsection (5)(b) and Subsection 49-20-201(3). (b) Health and dental benefits available to program participants under PEHP are limited to health insurance and dental insurance that: (i) covers the program participant and the program participant's eligible dependents on a July 1 plan year; (ii) accepts enrollment during an open enrollment period or for a special enrollment event, including the initial eligibility of a program participant; (iii) if the program participant is no longer eligible for benefits, terminates on the last day of the last month for which the individual is a participant in the Volunteer Emergency Medical Service Personnel Insurance Program; and (iv) is not subject to continuation rights under state or federal law. (c) Within existing appropriations, the Volunteer Emergency Medical Service Personnel Insurance Program may offer basic life insurance and long-term disability insurance to participants to enhance recruitment and retention efforts. (6) (a) The bureau may make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, to define additional criteria regarding benefit design, eligibility for the program, and to implement this section. (b) The bureau shall convene an advisory board: (i) to advise the bureau on making rules under Subsection (6)(a); and (ii) that includes representation from at least the following entities: (A) the qualifying association that receives the contract under Subsection (3); and (B) PEHP. (7) For purposes of this section, the qualifying association that receives the contract under Subsection (3) shall be considered the public agency for whom the program participant is volunteering under 29 C.F.R. Sec. 553.101.
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