Amends TCA Section 8-27-205.

Present law authorizes the state insurance committee to establish a health benefit for state employees. This health benefit may be made available to retired state employees who are drawing retirement benefits through the consolidated retirement system; however, this benefit is not available to a retiree whose employment with the state commenced on or after July 1, 2015. The committee establishes a schedule of defined contributions for retirees eligible for the health benefits; the schedule is graduated to reflect the retiree's length of service. For example, under present law, a highway patrol member who is a retiree with 25 years of service receives 80 percent of the scheduled premium or defined contribution. Under this bill, a highway patrol member who is a retiree with 25 years of service and would be excluded from the coverage under present law due to the date of hire will receive 80 percent of the scheduled premium or defined contribution regardless of the date hired.