Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1444 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.B. No. 1444
	1	+	By: Taylor, et al. S.B. No. 1444
	2	+	(Bonnen)
2	3
3	4
	5	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	6		AN ACT
5	7		relating to participation in the uniform group coverage program for
6	8		active school employees and to a study concerning health coverage
7	9		for school district employees.
8	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	11		SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 1579, Insurance Code, is
10	12		amended by adding Section 1579.1045 to read as follows:
11	13		Sec. 1579.1045. ALTERNATIVE GROUP HEALTH COVERAGE
12	14		PROHIBITED. Notwithstanding any other law, a participating entity
13	15		may not offer or make available to the entity's employees or their
14	16		dependents group health coverage not provided under the program.
15	17		SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 1579, Insurance Code, is
16	18		amended by adding Section 1579.155 to read as follows:
17	19		Sec. 1579.155. PROGRAM PARTICIPATION: ELECTION. (a)
18	20		Effective September 1, 2022, a participating entity may elect to
19	21		discontinue the entity's participation in the program by providing
20	22		written notice to the trustee not later than December 31 of the year
21	23		preceding the first day of the plan year in which the election will
22	24		be effective.
23	25		(b) A participating entity that elects to discontinue
24	26		participation in the program under Subsection (a) may not elect to:
25	27		(1) participate in the program until the fifth
26	28		anniversary of the effective date of the entity's election to
27	29		discontinue participation; or
28	30		(2) discontinue the entity's participation after an
29	31		election described by Subdivision (1) until the fifth anniversary
30	32		of the effective date of that election.
31	33		(c) Effective September 1, 2022, an entity that elects to
32	34		participate in the program shall provide written notice to the
33	35		trustee not later than December 31 of the year preceding the first
34	36		day of the plan year in which the election will be effective. The
35	37		entity may not elect to discontinue the entity's participation
36	38		until the fifth anniversary of the effective date of the entity's
37	39		election to participate.
38	40		(d) The trustee by rule shall prescribe the time and manner
39	41		for making an election under this section and may adopt rules
40	42		necessary to administer this section.
41	43		SECTION 3. (a) In this section, "committee" means a
42	44		regional school district health coverage advisory committee
43	45		established under this section.
44	46		(b) Each regional education service center established
45	47		under Chapter 8, Education Code, shall establish a regional school
46	48		district health coverage advisory committee to conduct a study
47	49		assessing:
48	50		(1) health care needs of and health coverage options
49	51		currently available to employees of school districts served by that
50	52		service center; and
51	53		(2) alternative health coverage options that may be
52	54		available.
53	55		(c) The executive director of each regional education
54	56		service center shall serve as the chair of that region's committee.
55	57		The executive director shall appoint nine superintendents of school
56	58		districts served by the regional education service center to serve
57	59		as members of that region's committee.
58	60		(d) The study must include, with respect to school districts
59	61		in that committee's region, the following information:
60	62		(1) an overview of current health coverage plans made
61	63		available to district employees, including for each plan:
62	64		(A) the amount paid by districts and by district
63	65		employees for premium under the plan;
64	66		(B) the schedule of benefits available under the
65	67		plan; and
66	68		(C) deductibles and other cost-sharing amounts
67	69		applicable to services provided under the plan;
68	70		(2) a survey of district employees using a scale that
69	71		allows the district employee to indicate that the employee is very
70	72		satisfied, satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied,
71	73		dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied with:
72	74		(A) the current costs to the employee of the
73	75		employee's health coverage plan; and
74	76		(B) benefits available and access to care under
75	77		the employee's plan; and
76	78		(3) an assessment of three alternative health coverage
77	79		options that are available on the open market or through
78	80		self-funding of school district health care expenses, including for
79	81		each alternative:
80	82		(A) the amount that would be paid by a district
81	83		and district employees for premium under the alternative;
82	84		(B) the schedule of benefits available under the
83	85		alternative; and
84	86		(C) whether, in obtaining the alternative, some
85	87		or all of the districts in the region should jointly seek health
86	88		coverage under that alternative as a group.
87	89		(e) Not later than November 1, 2022, each committee shall
88	90		submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the
89	91		house of representatives, each standing committee of the senate or
90	92		house of representatives having primary jurisdiction over public
91	93		education or public retirement systems, the commissioner of the
92	94		Texas Education Agency, and the executive director of the Teacher
93	95		Retirement System of Texas a written report on the study conducted
94	96		by the committee under this section.
95	97		(f) This section expires January 1, 2023.
96	98		SECTION 4. Sections 1579.1045 and 1579.155, Insurance Code,
97	99		as added by this Act, apply only to group coverage provided for a
98	100		plan year beginning on or after September 1, 2022. A plan year that
99	101		begins before that date is governed by the law as it existed
100	102		immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is
101	103		continued in effect for that purpose.
102	104		SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
103		-	______________________________ ______________________________
104		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
105		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1444 passed the Senate on
106		-	May 6, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.
107		-	______________________________
108		-	Secretary of the Senate
109		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1444 passed the House on
110		-	May 24, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 0, one
111		-	present not voting.
112		-	______________________________
113		-	Chief Clerk of the House
114		-	Approved:
115		-	______________________________
116		-	Date
117		-	______________________________
118		-	Governor