§ 70. Excess or catastrophe insurance; public group self-insurance
plans. 1. The committee or administrator, subject to the approval of the
board of supervisors, may on behalf of the plan purchase excess or
catastrophe insurance. The cost of such insurance shall be an
administrative expense of the plan.

2. The committee or administrator, subject to the approval of the
board of supervisors, may on behalf of the plan join a public group
self-insurer established under subdivision three-a of section fifty of
this chapter. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, when
the committee or administrator contracts on behalf of the plan to join a
public group self-insurer:

a. the public group self-insurer, the county and each participant
shall remain liable in the manner provided in the plan for claims made
prior to the date on which the plan joins the public group self-insurer;
and

b. the committee or administrator shall establish, before the plan
joins the public group self-insurer, a method, which may be amended
annually thereafter, by which to apportion among the participants in the
plan the cost of its membership in the public group self-insurer and all
claims made after the date on which the plan joins the public group
self-insurer, and each participant in the plan shall pay its respective
share of the cost to the county treasurer, who shall pay the public
group self-insurer on behalf of all plan participants.