The board of education of any school district or the board of trustees of any community college may procure contracts insuring its certificated employees and other employees or any class or classes thereof under a policy or policies of group life, group health, disability income, accident, accidental death and dismemberment, and hospital, surgical, and medical expense insurance or may procure contracts with health maintenance organizations or may act as a self-insurer to provide health care services and disability income benefits for such employees. The dependents of any such certificated employee or other employee may be insured under group policies which provide hospital, surgical, and medical expense insurance or under contracts entered into with health maintenance organizations to provide health care services or may have health care services and disability income benefits provided for by any school district or community college that acts as a self-insurer under this section. In addition to the foregoing authorizations, the board of education of any school district may act as a self-insurer to provide benefits indemnifying against death for such employees and their dependents. The contributions of employees to the premiums for insurance issued to the employer, or any group of employers, as the policyholder, or for the provision of health care services and disability income benefits may be deducted by the employer from the employees’ salaries when authorized to do so in writing by the respective employees.