Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3776 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: Bernal H.B. No. 3776
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to establishing a program designed to ensure health
7	7	benefit plan coverage to certain children through the private
8	8	marketplace.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subtitle I, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
11	11	by adding Chapter 540 to read as follows:
12	12	CHAPTER 540. PROGRAM TO ENSURE HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN COVERAGE FOR
13	13	CERTAIN CHILDREN THROUGH PRIVATE MARKET SOLUTIONS
14	14	Sec. 540.0001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
15	15	(1) "Child health plan program" means the child health
16	16	plan program established under Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code.
17	17	(2) "Medicaid" means the medical assistance program
18	18	established under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code.
19	19	Sec. 540.0002. PROGRAM FOR HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN COVERAGE FOR
20	20	CHILDREN THROUGH PRIVATE MARKET SOLUTIONS. Subject to the
21	21	requirements of this chapter, the commission in consultation with
22	22	the commissioner of insurance shall develop and implement a program
23	23	that helps connect certain children in this state with health
24	24	benefit plan coverage through private market solutions.
25	25	Sec. 540.0003. ENROLLMENT ELIGIBILITY. (a) Subject to
26	26	Subsection (b), a child is eligible to enroll in a program designed
27	27	and established under this chapter if the child:
28	28	(1) is younger than 19 years of age;
29	29	(2) is not eligible for benefits under Medicaid or the
30	30	child health plan program because of applicable income limits; and
31	31	(3) does not have a health benefit plan because the
32	32	child's family does not have access to or cannot afford a plan
33	33	through the private marketplace, including:
34	34	(A) an employer-sponsored health benefit plan;
35	35	or
36	36	(B) a health benefit plan for which an enrollee
37	37	receives a premium subsidy under the Patient Protection and
38	38	Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. No. 111-148) due to the amount of
39	39	family income.
40	40	(b) The executive commissioner shall further define the
41	41	eligibility requirements of this section, including defining
42	42	income requirements necessary to enroll in the program.
43	43	Sec. 540.0004. MINIMUM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. A program
44	44	designed and established under this chapter must:
45	45	(1) provide premium assistance to purchase health
46	46	benefit plan coverage for a child in the private market; and
47	47	(2) use technology to maximize the efficiency with
48	48	which the commission and any health benefit plan issuer manages
49	49	enrollee participation.
50	50	Sec. 540.0005. RULES.
51	51	The executive commissioner may adopt
52	52	rules necessary to implement this chapter.
53	53	SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
54	54	of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
55	55	Services Commission shall develop and implement the program
56	56	required by Chapter 540, Government Code, as added by this Act.
57	57	SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act
58	58	a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
59	59	federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
60	60	the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
61	61	authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
62	62	waiver or authorization is granted.
63	63	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.