Section 165-A. Continuation of state health insurance plans for survivors of employees of the state and/or of a political subdivision or of a public authority

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to  the  contrary,  the  president  shall  permit the unremarried spouse and the dependents,
  otherwise qualified as eligible for coverage under  regulations  of  the
  president,  of  a  person  who  was an employee of the state and/or of a
  political subdivision thereof or of a public authority for not less than
  ten years, provided however, that the ten-year service requirement shall
  not apply to such employees on active military duty in  connection  with
  the  Persian  Gulf  conflict who die on or after August second, nineteen
  hundred ninety while in the Persian Gulf combat zone or while performing
  such military duties, who had been a participant in  any  of  the  state
  health  insurance  plans,  to  continue  under  the  coverage which such
  deceased employee had in effect at the time of death, upon  the  payment
  at  intervals  determined  by  the  president  of  the full cost of such
  coverage, provided, however, that the unremarried spouse  of  an  active
  employee  of the State who died on or after April first nineteen hundred
  seventy-five and before April first nineteen  hundred  seventy-nine  who
  timely  elected  to  continue  dependent  coverage,  or such unremarried
  spouse who timely elected individual coverage shall continue to  pay  at
  intervals  determined  by  the president one-quarter of the full cost of
  dependent coverage and provided further, that, with regard to  employees
  of  the  State,  where  and  to the extent that an agreement pursuant to
  article fourteen of this chapter so provides, or where the  director  of
  employee  relations,  with respect to employees of the State who are not
  included within a negotiating unit so recognized or  certified  pursuant
  to  article  fourteen  of  this  chapter  whom  the director of employee
  relations determines should be declared eligible for the continuation of
  health insurance plans for the survivors of such employees of the State,
  the president shall adopt regulations providing for the continuation  of
  such health insurance by the unremarried spouse of an active employee of
  the State who died on or after April first nineteen hundred seventy-nine
  who  elects  to  continue dependent coverage, or such unremarried spouse
  who elects individual coverage, and upon  such  election  shall  pay  at
  intervals  determined  by  the president one-quarter of the full cost of
  dependent coverage  and,  provided  further  with  respect  to  enrolled
  employees   of   a  political  subdivision  or  public  authority  in  a
  negotiating unit recognized or certified pursuant to article fourteen of
  this chapter, where an agreement negotiated pursuant to said article  so
  provides,  and  with  respect  to  enrolled  employees  of  a  political
  subdivision or public authority not included within a  negotiating  unit
  so  recognized  or  certified,  at  the  discretion  of  the appropriate
  political subdivision or public authority, the unremarried spouse of  an
  active  employee of the political subdivision or of the public authority
  who died on or after April  first  nineteen  hundred  seventy-five,  may
  elect  to  continue  dependent  coverage  or such unremarried spouse may
  elect individual coverage and upon such election shall pay at  intervals
  determined  by  the  president one-quarter of the full cost of dependent
  coverage.
    The president shall adopt such regulations as may be required to carry
  out the provisions of this subdivision which shall include, but need not
  be limited to, provisions for filing application for continued coverage.
    Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the survivors of any employee
  subject to this section  shall  be  entitled  to  the  health  insurance
  benefits  granted  pursuant to this section, provided that such employee
  died while on active duty other than for training purposes, pursuant  to
  Title  10 of the United States Code, with the armed forces of the United
  States, and such member died  on  such  active  duty  on  or  after  the

  effective  date  of  the  chapter of the laws of two thousand five which
  added this paragraph as a result of injuries, disease or  other  medical
  condition  sustained  or  contracted  in such active duty with the armed
  forces of the United States.