By:  Ogden                                             H.B. No. 869
       73R3382 DLF-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to a pilot program to provide financial incentives to
    1-3  employees covered by a health benefits plan issued under the Texas
    1-4  Employees Uniform Group Insurance Benefits Act who participate in
    1-5  voluntary health screenings.
    1-6        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-7        SECTION 1.  The Texas Employees Uniform Group Insurance
    1-8  Benefits Act (Article 3.50-2, Vernon's Texas Insurance Code) is
    1-9  amended by adding Section 19A to read as follows:
   1-10        Sec. 19A.  VOLUNTARY HEALTH SCREENING PILOT PROGRAM.  (a)
   1-11  Not later than September 1, 1994, the trustee shall contract with
   1-12  each carrier that provides a health benefits plan to employees
   1-13  under this Act to establish a voluntary health screening pilot
   1-14  program in accordance with this section.
   1-15        (b)  A voluntary health screening pilot program must provide
   1-16  an opportunity for each employee covered by the health benefits
   1-17  plan and each covered dependent who is at least 21 years of age to
   1-18  participate in the program.
   1-19        (c)  Each participant in the voluntary health screening pilot
   1-20  program shall submit to a physical examination conducted in
   1-21  accordance with the contract and paid for by the carrier.  The
   1-22  physical examination must determine the participant's:
   1-23              (1)  weight;
   1-24              (2)  blood cholesterol level; and
    2-1              (3)  blood pressure.
    2-2        (d)  The contract must provide for a financial incentive for
    2-3  each participant who is a nonsmoker and whose weight, blood
    2-4  cholesterol level, and blood pressure are within acceptable ranges
    2-5  established by the contract.  The financial incentive must apply to
    2-6  a participant who meets the requirements of this subsection even if
    2-7  the participant's blood cholesterol level or blood pressure is
    2-8  within the appropriate range because of medical treatment.
    2-9        (e)  At least 50 percent of the amount of the financial
   2-10  incentive must be passed on to the employee in the form of a cash
   2-11  payment reflecting a reduction in premium or a reduction in the
   2-12  amount of an applicable deductible, coinsurance, or copayment.
   2-13        (f)  The trustee may not require an employee to participate
   2-14  in the voluntary health screening pilot program.  Coverage under a
   2-15  health benefits plan may not be conditioned on participation in the
   2-16  program or satisfaction of the criteria described by Subsection (c)
   2-17  of this section.
   2-18        (g)  The trustee shall prepare a report on the voluntary
   2-19  health screening pilot program.  Not later than February 1, 1995,
   2-20  the trustee shall deliver copies of the report to the presiding
   2-21  officer of each house of the legislature, the governor, and the
   2-22  commissioner.  The report must address:
   2-23              (1)  the level of participation in the program;
   2-24              (2)  whether the program was beneficial to employees;
   2-25  and
   2-26              (3)  whether the program could be effectively and
   2-27  beneficially implemented in the private sector.
    3-1        (h)  This section expires August 31, 1995.
    3-2        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    3-3  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    3-4  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    3-5  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    3-6  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    3-7  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    3-8  passage, and it is so enacted.