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Amend CSSB 10 (house committee printing) by inserting the
following new SECTION to the bill, appropriately numbered, and
renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ____. (a) In this section:
(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services
Commission.
(2) "Department" means the Texas Department of
Insurance.
(b) The department and the commission shall jointly study a
small employer premium assistance program to provide financial
assistance for the purchase of small employer health benefit plans
by small employers.
(c) The study conducted under this section must address:
(1) options for program funding, including use of
money in the Texas health opportunity pool trust fund as described
by Section 531.507, Government Code;
(2) coordination with any other premium assistance
effort operated, under development, or under consideration by
either agency; and
(3) recommended program design, including:
(A) the manner of targeting small employers;
(B) provisions to discourage employers and
others from electing to discontinue other private coverage for
employees;
(C) a minimum premium, or percentage of premium,
that a small employer must pay for each eligible employee's
coverage;
(D) eligibility requirements for enrollees for
whom financial assistance is provided to individuals;
(E) allocation of opportunities for enrollment
in the program;
(F) the duration of enrollment in the program and
requirements for renewal; and
(G) verification that small employers
participating in the program use premium assistance to purchase and
maintain a small employer health benefit plan.
(d) In conducting the study, the department and the
commission may consider programs and efforts undertaken by other
states to provide premium assistance to small employers.
(e) Not later than November 1, 2008, the department and the
commission shall jointly submit a report to the 81st Legislature.
The report must summarize the results of the study conducted under
this section and the recommendations of the department and
commission and may include recommendations for proposed
legislation to implement a small employer premium assistance
program as described by Subsection (b) of this section.