(a)  An employee shall be considered eligible for continuing coverage under the group hospital, surgical, or medical insurance plan as an employee on extended medical leave if an employer provides to the group hospital, surgical, or medical insurance plan a written statement that explains that, due to medical reasons pertaining to the employee or a member of the employee’s family (parent, child, step-child, spouse, sibling or a person for whom the employee serves as a legal guardian), the employee can no longer work full-time, the employee and the employer anticipate that the employee will someday return to full-time employment, and the employer has placed the employee on extended medical leave.

(b)  Nothing in this statute shall be construed to give an insurance company, a health maintenance organization or a nonprofit hospital and medical service corporation the ability to determine whether an employee is eligible for extended medical leave. The determination of whether an employee is eligible for extended medical leave rests solely with, and in the discretion of, the employer. Nothing in this statute shall be construed to require an employer to offer extended medical leave to its full-time employees.