Within 15 days of the beginning of the retirement or disability period of any employee entitled to elect continued group insurance coverage under any group policy affected by this Section, the municipality last employing such employee shall give written notice of such beginning by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the insurance company issuing such policy. The notice shall include the employee's name and last known place of residence and the beginning date of the employee's retirement or disability period.
Within 15 days of the date of receipt of such notice from the municipality, the insurance company by certified mail, return receipt requested, shall give written notice to the employee at the employee's last known place of residence that coverage under the group policy may be continued for the retirement or disability period of the employee as provided in this Section. Such notice shall set forth: (i) a statement of election to be filed by the employee if the employee wishes to continue such group insurance coverage, (ii) the amount of monthly premium, including a statement of the portion of such monthly premium attributable to any dependents' coverage which the employee may elect, and (iii) instructions as to the return of the election form to the insurance company issuing such policy. Election shall be made, if at all, by returning the statement of election to the insurance company by certified mail, return receipt requested, within 15 days after having received it.
If the employee elects to continue coverage, it shall be the obligation of the employee to pay the monthly premium directly to the municipality which shall forward it to the insurance company issuing the group insurance policy, or as otherwise directed by the insurance company; provided, however, that the employee shall be entitled to designate on the statement of election required to be filed with the insurance company that the total monthly premium, or such portion thereof as is not contributed by a municipality, be deducted by the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund from the monthly pension payment otherwise payable to or on behalf of the employee pursuant to Article 7 of the Illinois Pension Code, and be remitted by such Fund to the insurance company. The portion, if any, of the monthly premium contributed by a municipality for such continued group insurance coverage shall be paid by the municipality directly to the insurance company issuing the group insurance policy, or as directed by the insurance company. Such continued group insurance coverage shall relate back to the beginning of the employee's retirement or disability period.
The amendment, renewal or extension of any group insurance policy affected by this Section shall be deemed to be the issuance of a new policy of insurance for purposes of this Section.
The amendment, renewal or extension of any such contract in a form other than a policy of group insurance policy shall be deemed the formation of a new contract for the purposes of this Section.
215 ILCS 5/367j