(a)  Employees of the state of Rhode Island shall receive, in addition to wages, salaries, and any other remuneration or benefits, hospital care and surgical-medical services, rights, and benefits purchased by the director of administration pursuant to § 36-12-6, with the specific condition that the benefits and services provided by the carrier(s) will be substantially equivalent to those set forth in any collective bargaining agreement(s) executed between the state of Rhode Island and authorized representatives of the unions representing state employees or the health care coverage presently being provided.

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(b)  The state will work diligently with leadership of organized labor in order to ensure competitive, cost effective health care services for all employees of the state who may be eligible for those benefits.

(c)  Any new plan must accept pre-existing conditions for those individuals who will be covered by the new policy.

(d)  Part-time employees whose work week is less than twenty (20) hours a week may purchase the benefits set forth above. The employees shall pay the same rate for the benefits as the group rate paid by the state for the benefits. Payments for the benefits may be deducted in accordance with the provisions of § 36-12-3.