Section 160. Regulations governing the health insurance plan; advisory committee

1. The president, subject to the provisions of this article,  is hereby empowered to establish regulations relating to:
    (1) the eligibility  of  (a)  active  and  (b)  retired  employees  to
  participate in the health insurance plan authorized by this article,
    (2)  the  terms and conditions of the insurance contract or contracts,
  as applied to (a) active employees and (b) retired employees, and
    (3) the purchase of such  insurance  contract  or  contracts  and  the
  administration of such health insurance plan.
    The  president shall adopt such further regulations as may be required
  for the effective administration of this article, including the right to
  require advance payments of any portion of the  amount  required  to  be
  paid  by  any participating employer as its share in connection with the
  operation of the health insurance plan hereunder.
    2. The president, in his discretion,  is  hereby  empowered  to  make,
  amend  and rescind, from time to time, regulations establishing a dental
  insurance plan which shall be  a  part  of  the  health  insurance  plan
  authorized by this article. Such regulations may provide for negotiating
  unit, employee and employer participation or nonparticipation, employee,
  dependent   and   retiree   eligibility   or   noneligibility  and  such
  contribution rates as the  president  may  determine  even  though  such
  regulations  establish  standards  which differ from those applicable by
  law to other parts of such  health  insurance  plan.  The  president  is
  hereby  authorized  and  directed  to  provide  in  such regulations for
  participation in  the  dental  insurance  plan  by  retirees;  provided,
  however,  that  the  claims  experience for retirees shall be separately
  rated and premiums established separate from other participants  in  the
  plan  and  provided further that the full costs of participation in such
  plan, including  all  administrative  costs,  shall  be  borne  by  such
  retirees.    Considering  the  dental  insurance  plan  as  a  whole, no
  regulation enacted pursuant to this subdivision shall provide or  permit
  a  benefit structure inconsistent with the most efficient and economical
  administration of such plan.
    3. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of this article, no rule
  or regulation shall be adopted, repealed or amended, and no other action
  taken  with  respect  to  state  employees  affecting  the  rate  of  or
  eligibility for benefits under this article, without the approval of the
  director of employee relations.