1. The provisions of section 3 of P.L.1987, c.384 (C. 52:14-17.32f) shall apply to any employee of a board of education who is a member of a pension fund created prior to January 5, 1996 under the provisions of article 2 of chapter 66 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes (N.J.S. 18A:66-94 et seq.) and who retires on a benefit based upon 25 or more years of service credit in the pension fund, or retires on a disability pension based upon fewer years of service credit in that pension fund, or elected deferred retirement based upon 25 or more years of service credit and receives a retirement allowance from that pension fund, except that the costs of the premium or periodic charges for the benefits and reimbursement of medicare premiums provided to a retiree and the dependents of the retiree under this section shall be paid by the State. An employee who becomes a member of the pension fund on or after the effective date of P.L.2010, c.2 shall pay in retirement 1.5 percent of the retiree’s monthly retirement allowance, including any future cost-of-living adjustments, through the withholding of the contribution, for health benefits coverage provided under P.L.2007, c.103 (C. 52:14-17.46.1 et seq.) and the State shall pay the remainder of the premium or periodic charges for benefits provided to a qualified retiree and the dependents of the retiree, and the cost for reimbursement of Medicare premiums.

An employee who retired prior to the effective date of this act is eligible for the coverage if the employee applies to the program for it within one year after the effective date.

L.1995, c.357, s.1; amended 2010, c.2, s.4.