Section 20-2-891. Health insurance fund for public school teachers

   (a) A health insurance fund is created for public school teachers. The fund shall be available without fiscal year limitations for premiums, subscription charges, benefits, and administration costs. The amounts contributed by the state or from federal funds pursuant to this subpart shall be credited to such health insurance fund. All other income, including the income derived from dividends, premium rate adjustments, or other refunds under any such contract or contracts, shall be credited to and constitute a part of such fund. Any amounts remaining in such fund after all premiums or subscription charges and other expenses have been paid shall be retained in such fund as a special reserve for adverse fluctuation. The commissioner shall be the custodian of such health insurance fund and shall be responsible under a properly approved bond for all moneys coming into the fund and paid out of the fund as may be required to be paid to any contracting corporation under any contract entered into pursuant to this subpart and to cover administrative costs.

(b) Any amounts held by the health insurance fund which are available for investment shall be paid over to the Office of the State Treasurer. The state treasurer shall deposit such funds in a trust account for credit only to the health insurance fund. The state treasurer shall invest these health insurance funds subject to the limitations of Code Section 50-5A-7 and Chapter 17 of Title 50. All income derived from such investment shall accrue to the health insurance fund. When moneys are paid over to the Office of the State Treasurer as provided in this subsection, the commissioner shall submit an estimate of the date such funds shall no longer be available for investment. When the commissioner wishes to withdraw funds from the trust account provided for in this subsection, he or she shall submit a request for such withdrawal, in writing, to the state treasurer.

(c) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the commissioner may combine the fund provided for in this Code section with the funds provided for in Code Section 20-2-918 and Code Section 45-18-12.

Ga. L. 1975, p. 37, § 9; Ga. L. 1977, p. 991, § 3; Ga. L. 1980, p. 963, § 2; Ga. L. 1987, p. 3, § 20; Ga. L. 1993, p. 1402, § 18; Ga. L. 1999, p. 592, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1474, § 2; Ga. L. 2005, p. 623, § 1/SB 284; Ga. L. 2010, p. 863, §§ 2, 3/SB 296.