By: Lucio S.B. No. 872
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the purchase of continued health insurance coverage by
an eligible survivor of certain public servants killed in the line
of duty.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 615.077, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 615.077. PAYMENTS; RATE. An eligible survivor who is
entitled to continued coverage under this subchapter [is entitled
to]:
(1) is entitled to:
(A) make payments for the coverage or have
payments made on the survivor's behalf at the same time and to the
same entity that payments for coverage are made by current
employees of the employing entity; and
(B) obtain [(2) purchase] the coverage at the
[group] rate paid by current employees of the employing entity for
that coverage; and
(2) may not be required to pay a premium amount for the
coverage that is greater than the premium amount that a current
employee of the employing entity without a spouse is required to pay
to cover the employee alone or to cover the employee and the
employee's dependent children, as applicable to the eligible
survivor [that exists at the time of payment].
SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 615, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 615.080 to read as follows:
Sec. 615.080. LIMITED OPPORTUNITY FOR CERTAIN ELIGIBLE
SURVIVORS TO REAPPLY FOR COVERAGE. (a) This section applies only
to an eligible survivor of a deceased individual listed under
Section 615.071 who died on or after September 1, 1993.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter
or other law, an eligible survivor to whom this section applies who
did not purchase continued health insurance benefits under this
subchapter or under the law codified by this subchapter within the
time allowed after the listed individual's death, or who
discontinued coverage under this subchapter or under the law
codified by this subchapter after the listed individual's death,
may reapply for coverage under the employing entity's health
insurance benefits plan not later than March 1, 2010.
(c) An eligible survivor who reapplies for coverage under
Subsection (b) is entitled to purchase the coverage according to
the same rate schedule and coverage options as would apply had the
eligible survivor continued coverage under this subchapter after
the listed individual's death.
(d) This section expires September 1, 2010.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.