By Hilderbran H.B. No. 3239 75R467 GCH-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to health insurance coverage under the Texas Employees 1-3 Uniform Group Insurance Benefits Act. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. The Texas Employees Uniform Group Insurance 1-6 Benefits Act (Article 3.50-2, Vernon's Texas Insurance Code) is 1-7 amended by adding Section 5B to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 5B. MEDICARE RISK PLAN COVERAGE. The trustee shall 1-9 provide optional group Medicare risk plan coverages for employees, 1-10 annuitants, and their dependents who are eligible to receive 1-11 Medicare. The trustee shall contract for the coverages with one or 1-12 more carriers that have contracted with the federal government 1-13 under 42 U.S.C. Section 1395u. An employee or annuitant may not 1-14 enroll in a coverage provided under this section in addition to 1-15 other coverages provided under this Act. An employee or annuitant, 1-16 or a dependent of an employee or annuitant, may not be penalized 1-17 for an enrollment in or a departure from a coverage provided under 1-18 this section. 1-19 SECTION 2. The Employees Retirement System of Texas shall 1-20 make the coverages described by Section 5B, Texas Employees Uniform 1-21 Group Insurance Benefits Act (Article 3.50-2, Vernon's Texas 1-22 Insurance Code), as added by this Act, initially available during 1-23 the enrollment period that precedes the fiscal year beginning 1-24 September 1, 1997. 2-1 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-6 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-7 passage, and it is so enacted.