Camacho said his House Bill 16-68 will repeal and re-enact a clause within Public Law 15-70 so that retirees can join the healthcare plan run by Aetna Global Benefits.
P.L. 15-70 limits membership to Aetna to new retirees who exercised their options within a six-month period upon their retirement.
“This amendment will allow coverage by the government healthcare program for people who are not enrolled in the program due to the currently existing six-month gap coverage,” said Camacho, R-Saipan.
He said he and Rep. Stanley T. Torres, R-Saipan, co-author of the bill, worked with the Retirement Fund in drafting the measure.
Many retirees enrolled in various private healthcare insurance programs are finding it difficult to keep up with high premiums.
Camacho said retirees will still pay for premiums if they enroll in the Aetna plan but the cost will be more affordable.
The government’s Group Health Life Insurance program had 2,993 members as of 2007.
Of the figure, 52 percent or 1,551 were retirees and the rest were active employees.
The government said medical claims paid to healthcare providers still exceed their premium collections.
