Ohio S.B. 66, 128^th General Assembly
Health Benefits to Dependents of Volunteer Firefighters
http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=128_SB_66

• Requires the Volunteer Fire Fighters' Dependents Fund to pay benefits for health insurance coverage for the dependents of a volunteer firefighter killed in the line of duty.
• Requires the Board of Trustees of the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund to contract for health insurance benefits for the dependents of a volunteer firefighter killed in the line of duty.

Introduced by: Senator Keith Faber (R), District 12

Under current law, when a volunteer firefighter dies while discharging the duties of a volunteer firefighter or from injuries received while discharging those duties, survivors of the firefighter are entitled to certain benefits.  Specifically, the surviving spouse of a firefighter is entitled to a lump sum award of $1,000 plus $300 per month and the parent, guardian, or other persons upon whom a child of the firefighter is dependent for chief support is due $125 per month for each dependent child up to the age of 18, or 23 if the child is still in school.  These amounts must be paid out of the Volunteer Fire Fighters' Dependents Fund The bill creates another benefit for certain survivors of volunteer firefighters.  Under the bill, benefits for health insurance coverage must be paid from the Volunteer Fire Fighters' Dependents Fund to the dependents of a volunteer firefighter killed in the line of duty.  The exact type and extent of coverage must be established by the Board of Trustees of the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund.  

The health insurance benefit is not available to all dependents, however.  Under the bill, the benefit is only available to dependents who are not (1) eligible for coverage under any employer-sponsored health benefit plan, (2) covered under any other health benefit plan, or (3) eligible for coverage under the state Medicaid program or the federal Medicare program.  The bill defines a "health benefit plan" as any policy of sickness and accident insurance, contract with a health insuring corporation, public employee benefit plan, multiple employer welfare arrangement, or health benefit plan regulated under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), that provides payment or reimbursement for the costs of health care services other than for specific diseases and accidents only.

Date introduced: 3/4/09
Committee Assigned: Insurance, Commerce, & Labor, Chair: Steve Buehrer (R)