GROUP HEALTH PLAN

Jacksonville Ordinance Code tit. V, ch. 116, pt. 14

in effect

Jacksonville Ordinance Code § 116.1401 Definitions.

Sec. 116.1401. - Definitions. Group Health Plan shall mean the various group health insurance benefits and options offered to City employees and retirees by a Group Health Vendor. Group Health Vendor shall mean (i) an insurance company that provides fully insured group health insurance plans to the City's employees and retirees or (ii) a plan administrator that administers group health insurance benefits through a self-insurance arrangement. (Ord. 2003-84-E, § 1; Ord. 2021-378-E, § 1)

Jacksonville Ordinance Code § 116.1402 Special Committee on Group Health Benefits.

Sec. 116.1402. - Special Committee on Group Health Benefits. Pursuant to Chapter 33, Part 3, Ordinance Code, the Benefits Division of the Employee Services Department is responsible for ensuring the efficient and effective procurement of health and life insurance for the benefit of the City and its employees and retirees. To share information with plan participants about benefits and options included in the Group Health Plan, the Benefits Division shall meet semiannually with a Special Committee on Group Health Benefits which shall be composed of the following: (a) The Director of Employee Services, or his/her designee; (b) The Director of the Finance Department, or his/her designee; (c) One Council Member, designated by the Council President; (d) The Council Auditor, or his/her designee; (e) One member from each employee collective bargaining unit as designated by the respective unions; (f) One City retiree actively participating in the Group Health Plan as designated by Employee Services; The Special Committee on Group Health Benefits shall convene only for the purpose of receiving a semiannual update from the Employee Services Department on the status and projection of the Group Health Plan. The Special Committee on Group Health Benefits shall not make any recommendations, provide advice, vote, nor engage in any decision-making regarding the Group Health Plan. Individual committee members are permitted to express their individual input regarding the Group Health Plan to the Employee Services Department. The Employee Services Department will keep the committee informed of major developments to the Group Health Plan for informational purposes only. It is the intent of the City of Jacksonville that the Special Committee on Group Health Benefits only engage in informational-gathering activities and duties, and shall not be considered a board or commission for purposes of Florida's Open Meetings Law. (Ord. 2003-84-E, § 1; Ord. 2011-732-E; Ord. 2016-140-E, § 16; Ord. 2021-378-E, § 1; Ord. 2023-208-E, § 8; Ord. 2024-844-E, § 5)

Jacksonville Ordinance Code § 116.1403 Request for Proposal (RFP) procedure.

Sec. 116.1403. - Request for Proposal (RFP) procedure. At least one time every five years, beginning with the Group Health Plan that will become effective in calendar year 2004, the Employee Services Department shall develop an Request for Proposals for a Group Health Vendor and shall: (a) File the draft Request for Proposal with the Council Secretary. The Council Secretary shall notify each Council Member of receipt of the draft Request for Proposals and request Council Member comments pursuant to this Section 116.1403; (b) The Council Members shall have up to 15 calendar days after receipt of the draft Request for Proposals to submit any comments on the draft Request for Proposals; and (c) Issue a final Request for Proposals (RFP) to Group Health Vendors for employee and retiree group health insurance benefits pursuant to Chapter 116, Part 14, and Chapter 126, Part 3, Ordinance Code. (Ord. 2003-84-E, § 1; Ord. 2011-732-E; Ord. 2016-140-E, § 16; Ord. 2021-378-E, § 1)

Jacksonville Ordinance Code § 116.1404 Reserved.

Jacksonville Ordinance Code § 116.1405 Transfers prohibited from Group Health Fund.

Sec. 116.1405. - Transfers prohibited from Group Health Fund. The City is prohibited from transferring excess or surplus funds out of the Group Health Fund. The excess or surplus Group Health Funds from one period shall stay within the fund and may be applied to reduce costs to the Group Health Fund in future periods. (Ord. 2003-84-E, § 1)

Jacksonville Ordinance Code § 116.1406 Self-Insurance.

Sec. 116.1406. - Self-Insurance. Effective January 1 of each year, the City may provide plan benefits through a self-insurance arrangement rather than through a fully insured Group Health Vendor. The following provisions shall apply to such self-insurance: (a) Procurement of a Plan Administrator. A contract with a plan administrator must have been competitively procured in the preceding five years. Before awarding or contracting with the plan administrator, the Employee Services Department shall provide a written advisory report to City Council on the vendor responses to the competitive solicitation. The written advisory report shall be submitted to each Council Member and shall contain a recommendation of the response that best serves the interests of the City. The report shall describe the basis for the recommendation, including a comparison of the responding vendors with respect to the fees to be charged and the provider networks to be offered. The Mayor shall consider the report before awarding the contract to any vendor. (b) Annual Review. By July 1 of each year, Employee Services shall (i) review an actuarial analysis of the cost-benefits of a proposal to self-insure; (ii) review the terms of any plan administrator contract; and (iii) make plan recommendations to the Mayor. (c) Annual Notice to City Council. By August 1 of each year, the City Council shall be advised of any changes in the plan and the actuarial estimated costs of self-insuring the plan (and any proposed changes). (d) Funding Requirement. The funding necessary to cover the City's self-insurance obligations shall be included in the Mayor's proposed annual budget request and shall include the amounts necessary to pay for (i) plan administration services; (ii) stop loss insurance; (iii) estimated expenses and claims of the self-insurance program; (iv) reserves required by the State of Florida; and, (v) any other sums necessary for the operation of the Group Health Plan. Such funding shall be subject to approval by the City Council and, if approved, shall be deposited in the Group Health Fund. (Ord. 2014-546-E, § 1; Ord. 2016-140-E, § 16; Ord. 2021-378-E, § 1)

Source: City of Jacksonville, Ordinance Code and Charter and Related Laws (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/fl/jacksonville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITVADPE_CH116EMEMBE_PT14GRHEPLFetched: 10/27/2026