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AN ACT
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relating to participation in the uniform group coverage program for |
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active school employees and to a study concerning health coverage |
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for school district employees. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 1579, Insurance Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 1579.1045 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1579.1045. ALTERNATIVE GROUP HEALTH COVERAGE |
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PROHIBITED. Notwithstanding any other law, a participating entity |
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may not offer or make available to the entity's employees or their |
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dependents group health coverage not provided under the program. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 1579, Insurance Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 1579.155 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1579.155. PROGRAM PARTICIPATION: ELECTION. (a) |
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Effective September 1, 2022, a participating entity may elect to |
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discontinue the entity's participation in the program by providing |
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written notice to the trustee not later than December 31 of the year |
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preceding the first day of the plan year in which the election will |
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be effective. |
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(b) A participating entity that elects to discontinue |
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participation in the program under Subsection (a) may not elect to: |
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(1) participate in the program until the fifth |
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anniversary of the effective date of the entity's election to |
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discontinue participation; or |
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(2) discontinue the entity's participation after an |
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election described by Subdivision (1) until the fifth anniversary |
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of the effective date of that election. |
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(c) Effective September 1, 2022, an entity that elects to |
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participate in the program shall provide written notice to the |
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trustee not later than December 31 of the year preceding the first |
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day of the plan year in which the election will be effective. The |
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entity may not elect to discontinue the entity's participation |
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until the fifth anniversary of the effective date of the entity's |
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election to participate. |
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(d) The trustee by rule shall prescribe the time and manner |
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for making an election under this section and may adopt rules |
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necessary to administer this section. |
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SECTION 3. (a) In this section, "committee" means a |
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regional school district health coverage advisory committee |
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established under this section. |
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(b) Each regional education service center established |
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under Chapter 8, Education Code, shall establish a regional school |
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district health coverage advisory committee to conduct a study |
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assessing: |
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(1) health care needs of and health coverage options |
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currently available to employees of school districts served by that |
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service center; and |
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(2) alternative health coverage options that may be |
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available. |
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(c) The executive director of each regional education |
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service center shall serve as the chair of that region's committee. |
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The executive director shall appoint nine superintendents of school |
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districts served by the regional education service center to serve |
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as members of that region's committee. |
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(d) The study must include, with respect to school districts |
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in that committee's region, the following information: |
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(1) an overview of current health coverage plans made |
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available to district employees, including for each plan: |
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(A) the amount paid by districts and by district |
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employees for premium under the plan; |
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(B) the schedule of benefits available under the |
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plan; and |
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(C) deductibles and other cost-sharing amounts |
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applicable to services provided under the plan; |
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(2) a survey of district employees using a scale that |
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allows the district employee to indicate that the employee is very |
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satisfied, satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, |
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dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied with: |
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(A) the current costs to the employee of the |
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employee's health coverage plan; and |
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(B) benefits available and access to care under |
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the employee's plan; and |
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(3) an assessment of three alternative health coverage |
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options that are available on the open market or through |
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self-funding of school district health care expenses, including for |
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each alternative: |
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(A) the amount that would be paid by a district |
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and district employees for premium under the alternative; |
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(B) the schedule of benefits available under the |
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alternative; and |
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(C) whether, in obtaining the alternative, some |
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or all of the districts in the region should jointly seek health |
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coverage under that alternative as a group. |
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(e) Not later than November 1, 2022, each committee shall |
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submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the |
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house of representatives, each standing committee of the senate or |
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house of representatives having primary jurisdiction over public |
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education or public retirement systems, the commissioner of the |
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Texas Education Agency, and the executive director of the Teacher |
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Retirement System of Texas a written report on the study conducted |
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by the committee under this section. |
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(f) This section expires January 1, 2023. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 1579.1045 and 1579.155, Insurance Code, |
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as added by this Act, apply only to group coverage provided for a |
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plan year beginning on or after September 1, 2022. A plan year that |
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begins before that date is governed by the law as it existed |
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immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1444 passed the Senate on |
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May 6, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1444 passed the House on |
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May 24, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 0, one |
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present not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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Approved: |
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______________________________ |
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Date |
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______________________________ |
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Governor |