This subdivision is to provide permanent group life insurance and group hospitalization, hospital medical care, surgical care and other medical and surgical benefits for New Hampshire state employees and their families, and retired state employees and their spouses. This subdivision may also provide access to such benefits, except permanent group life insurance, for employees of the university system of New Hampshire and the community college system of New Hampshire. In view of the accepted value of group insurance to the well-being and efficiency of employees on the part of small and large private employers and the other 5 New England states in obtaining benefits of this type of insurance for their employees, the state of New Hampshire implements this subdivision in order that the state shall compare favorably to the standards now commonly accepted by private employers and the state employees in the other 5 New England states by making available to state employees and their families and retired state employees and their spouses permanent group life insurance and group hospitalization, hospital medical care, surgical care and other medical and surgical insurance benefits.