Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SCR57 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	86R20163 CLE-D
2	2	By: Kolkhorst S.C.R. No. 57
3	3
4	4
5	5	CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
6	6	WHEREAS, The Texas Department of Insurance reports that while
7	7	the group health insurance market in Texas remains relatively
8	8	stable, the individual market for health insurance continues to
9	9	experience issues with access and affordability; and
10	10	WHEREAS, According to the department's 2018 Biennial Report,
11	11	eight carriers will offer individual major medical plans on the
12	12	federal health exchange in Texas in 2019, compared to 19 carriers in
13	13	2016, and the cost of premiums for most of the plans will increase
14	14	70 to 200 percent compared to the cost in 2014, when Affordable Care
15	15	Act plans first became available; and
16	16	WHEREAS, The Texas Department of Insurance further reports
17	17	that Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act encourages innovation
18	18	by allowing states to request a waiver from certain provisions of
19	19	the Act and that new federal guidance provides more flexibility to
20	20	states in applying for such a waiver; and
21	21	WHEREAS, Eight states have received a 1332 innovation waiver
22	22	to increase choice and competition in their individual health
23	23	insurance markets while protecting people with preexisting
24	24	conditions, according to the National Conference of State
25	25	Legislatures; and
26	26	WHEREAS, The National Conference of State Legislatures
27	27	describes an additional waiver of federal law that affects state
28	28	health care coverage under Medicaid; Section 1115 of the Social
29	29	Security Act encourages state experimental demonstrations in
30	30	Medicaid; states have used 1115 demonstration waivers to test a
31	31	wide range of policy approaches, including offering coverage to
32	32	otherwise ineligible populations, providing services not typically
33	33	covered by Medicaid, experimenting with cost sharing and other
34	34	payment reforms, and implementing changes to the delivery system;
35	35	and
36	36	WHEREAS, Innovation in state health care coverage does not
37	37	always require a waiver; some options for achieving greater
38	38	flexibility with current Medicaid funding can be implemented
39	39	directly by states, subject to federal guidelines; and
40	40	WHEREAS, States have been given greater flexibility to foster
41	41	innovation in state health care coverage, and a study would help to
42	42	identify all of the options for improving access to quality health
43	43	care in Texas; now, therefore, be it
44	44	RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas
45	45	hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house
46	46	of representatives to create a joint interim committee on state
47	47	health care coverage; and, be it further
48	48	RESOLVED, That the committee explore options for improving
49	49	access to quality health care in Texas, including options for
50	50	achieving greater flexibility with current Medicaid funding and for
51	51	using 1115 demonstration waivers and 1332 innovation waivers; and,
52	52	be it further
53	53	RESOLVED, That the committee be composed of four members of
54	54	the senate appointed by the lieutenant governor, who shall
55	55	designate one of the members as joint chair, and four members of the
56	56	house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house, who
57	57	shall designate one of the members as joint chair; and, be it
58	58	further
59	59	RESOLVED, That the committee submit a full report, including
60	60	findings and recommendations, to the 87th Texas Legislature before
61	61	it convenes in January 2021; and, be it further
62	62	RESOLVED, That the committee's proceedings and operations be
63	63	governed by such general rules and policies for interim committees
64	64	as the 86th Texas Legislature may adopt.