Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2655 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R5801 SCL-D
2	2	By: Oliverson H.B. No. 2655
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to operation by certain nonprofit organizations of certain
10	10	regional health care programs for employees of small employers.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Section 75.051, Health and Safety Code, is
13	13	amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
14	14	(c) A community-based nonprofit organization may establish
15	15	or participate in a regional health care program under this
16	16	subchapter without the participation of the commissioners court of
17	17	a county if the program is a premium assistance program not offering
18	18	health care services or health care benefits.
19	19	SECTION 2. Section 75.052(a), Health and Safety Code, is
20	20	amended to read as follows:
21	21	(a) A regional health care program may be operated subject
22	22	to the direct governance of the commissioners courts of the
23	23	participating counties or, for a program operating under Section
24	24	75.051(c), a nonprofit organization. A local health care program
25	25	may be operated subject to the direct governance of the
26	26	commissioners court of the participating county. A regional or
27	27	local health care program may be operated by a joint council,
28	28	tax-exempt nonprofit entity, or other entity that:
29	29	(1) operates the program under a contract with the
30	30	commissioners court or courts, as applicable; [or]
31	31	(2) is an entity in which the county or counties
32	32	participate or that is established or designated by the
33	33	commissioners court or courts, as applicable, to operate the
34	34	program; or
35	35	(3) for a program operating under Section 75.051(c),
36	36	is a participating nonprofit organization.
37	37	SECTION 3. Section 75.101, Health and Safety Code, is
38	38	amended to read as follows:
39	39	Sec. 75.101. ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED; PROGRAM
40	40	OBJECTIVES. In developing a regional or local health care program,
41	41	a governing body may provide health care services or benefits as
42	42	described by this subchapter or may develop another type of program
43	43	to accomplish the purposes of this chapter. A regional or local
44	44	health care program must be developed, to the extent practicable,
45	45	to:
46	46	(1) reduce the number of individuals without health
47	47	benefit plan coverage within the boundaries of the participating
48	48	county or counties or, for a program operating under Section
49	49	75.051(c), in a county in which a participating nonprofit
50	50	organization operates;
51	51	(2) address rising health care costs and reduce the
52	52	cost of health care services or health benefit plan coverage for
53	53	small employers and their employees within the boundaries of the
54	54	participating county or counties or, for a program operating under
55	55	Section 75.051(c), in a county in which a participating nonprofit
56	56	organization operates;
57	57	(3) promote preventive care and reduce the incidence
58	58	of preventable health conditions, such as heart disease, cancer,
59	59	and diabetes and low birth weight in infants;
60	60	(4) promote efficient and collaborative delivery of
61	61	health care services;
62	62	(5) serve as a model for the innovative use of health
63	63	information technology to promote efficient delivery of health care
64	64	services, reduce health care costs, and improve the health of the
65	65	community; and
66	66	(6) provide fair payment rates for health care
67	67	providers.
68	68	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.