Minnesota Statutes Retirement (Ch. 352-356B) § 355.095. Optional Medicare coverage for certain public employees

Subdivision 1. Agreement. (a) The director, on behalf of the state, its political subdivisions, and its other governmental employers, is authorized to enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to extend the provisions ofUnited States Code, title 42, section 426,426-1, and1395c, to the employees in paragraph (b) who meet the requirements ofUnited States Code, title 42, section 418(v)(2)and who do not have coverage by the federal old age, survivors, and disability insurance program for that employment under any previous modification of the agreement or previous Medicare referendum.

(b) The applicable employees are:

Subd. 2. Referendum. (a) Each local governmental subdivision or special authority or district desiring inclusion in the state Social Security agreement under subdivision 1 must request such coverage by submitting a formal resolution to the director, including a specification therein of the desired starting date for Social Security coverage.

(b) The director shall authorize a referendum on the question of extending the provisions ofUnited States Code, title 42, sections 426,426-1, and1395c. The director shall supervise the referendum in accordance with the requirements ofUnited States Code, title 42, section 418, on the date or dates set. The cost of the referendum must be borne by the requesting retirement plan, or the requesting special authority or district. The notice of the referendum provided to each eligible employee must contain a statement sufficient to inform the person of the rights available as an employee in Medicare qualified government employment and the employee contribution rates applicable to the program. The referendum must permit each eligible employee the opportunity to vote in the referendum in accordance with the requirements in the Social Security Act. The director, on receiving satisfactory evidence that the conditions specified inUnited States Code, title 42, section 418(d)(7)have been met, must so certify to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.