HB 2887

Overview

This legislation amends Title 53 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to establish a new section granting emergency responder benefits for surviving family members who lose their provider in the line of duty. The bill mandates that municipalities, regional fire departments, and emergency medical services companies provide full health benefits to the surviving spouse of a deceased emergency responder for the remainder of the spouse's life, provided certain conditions are met. Additionally, eligible dependents of the deceased responder are entitled to full health benefits until they reach 26 years of age, contingent upon their lack of eligibility for coverage under another employer-sponsored plan.

Key Provisions

• Health benefits for a surviving spouse continue for the remainder of their life unless terminated due to remarriage or the acquisition of equivalent health benefits from the spouse's current employer.
• Eligible dependents receive full health benefits until age 26 if they are not covered by another employer-sponsored plan.
• Existing health benefits remain uninterrupted during any investigation required to determine whether a death occurred in the line of duty.
• Determinations regarding line-of-duty status may be made by the employing entity, the Department of General Services, or the Bureau of Justice Assistance within the U.S. Department of Justice, with the employer making the final determination if multiple entities are involved.
• Municipalities and fire departments must assist surviving spouses in navigating claims and payment processes under this section.
• If a recipient is enrolled in Medicare, they must utilize it as their primary health benefit, while the employer provides or reimburses for supplemental coverage.
• The act applies retroactively to deaths occurring before its effective date but does not require reimbursement for health care costs incurred prior to that date.
• The legislation defines key terms including "emergency responder," "firefighter," "line of duty," and "surviving spouse" by referencing existing definitions in Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes.