§15-1A-1a. Employee participation in group insurance programs; payroll deductions; custodian of funds.

The Adjutant General is hereby authorized and empowered to negotiate for, secure and adopt for all employees of the Adjutant General's department, whether civilian or military and whether paid with state or federal funds, a policy or policies of group insurance written by a carrier or carriers chartered under the laws of this state or the laws of any other state and duly licensed to do business in this state and covering life; health; hospital care; surgical or medical diagnosis, care and treatment; drugs and medicines; remedial care; other medical supplies and services; or any other combination of these; and any other policy or policies under group insurance which in the discretion of the Adjutant General bear a reasonable relationship to the foregoing coverages. All premiums and other costs of participation for any such group insurance shall be paid solely by such employees. Whenever such employees shall indicate in writing that they have subscribed to any of the aforesaid insurance plans on a group basis, the Adjutant General is hereby authorized and empowered to approve periodic premium deductions from the salary payments due such employees as specified in a written assignment furnished the Adjutant General by each such employee subscribing to a group insurance plan, which deductions shall be made by the Auditor of the State of West Virginia.

Upon proper requisition of the Adjutant General, the Auditor shall periodically issue a warrant, payable as specified in the requisition, for the total deductions from the salaries of employees participating in any such group insurance plan. To promote efficiency and economy in making deductions and issuing warrants as provided herein, the Auditor is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations specifying the form and the time and manner of presentation of requisitions issued pursuant to this section. When a participating employee shall retire from his employment, he may, if he so elects, and the insurance carrier or carriers agree, remain a member of the group plan by continuing to pay the premium for the coverage involved.

The State Treasurer shall be custodian of the funds under the aforesaid group insurance plans, and disbursements from the funds to pay all premiums shall be made only upon warrants signed by the State Auditor and the state Treasurer.