SRC-JBJ C.S.S.B. 1814 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1814 76R11935 JMM-DBy: Harris Jurisprudence 4/20/1999 Committee Report (Substituted) DIGEST Currently, although a court may require a child support obligor to pay expenses for health care, Texas statutes do not require the expenses to be paid within a certain time. C.S.S.B. 1814 would establish statutory requirements regarding the time period to reimburse certain health care expenses. PURPOSE As proposed, C.S.S.B. 1814 requires child support obligors to provide health coverage for their children. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 154.182, Family Code, by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d), to require the court to render its order according to certain priorities including ordering the obligor to provide insurance to the spouse of the obligor. Authorizes the court to order an obligor to provide medical support for a child with health insurance that is available through the obligor's employment or other organization only if the spouse agrees to include the child in the spouse's coverage. SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 154D, Family Code, by adding Section 154.1835, as follows: Sec. 154.1835. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES NOT REIMBURSED BY HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires a party who incurs health care expenses that are reimbursable to present the other party with a bill for expenses by a certain date. Provides that if the bill is not presented to the court that issued the original order or the party required to provide reimbursement within the allotted time, the right to reimbursement is forfeited. SECTION 3. Amends Article 3.96-2, Insurance Code, to prohibit an insurer from denying enrollment of a child under the health insurance coverage of a child's parent or the spouse of the parent on the ground that the child is not claimed as a dependent on the federal income tax return of the parent or spouse. Makes conforming changes. SECTION 4. Amends Article 3.96-3, Insurance Code, by adding Subsection (c), to require an insurer to permit the parent to enroll a child without regard to any enrollment period restriction, if the spouse of a parent is required by a court or administrative order to provide health coverage for a child and the child is eligible for dependent health coverage. SECTION 5. Amends Article 3.96-7(a), Insurance Code, to make conforming changes. SECTION 6.Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 7.Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES SECTION 1. Deletes proposed changes to Section 154.183, Family Code, regarding reimbursements for certain child health care expenses. Amends Section 154.182, Family Code, by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d), regarding a requirement to provide health insurance to a child. SECTION 2. Adds proposed Section 154.1835, Family Code, regarding payment of expenses not reimbursed by health insurance. SECTIONS 3. Amends Article 3.96-2, Insurance Code, to prohibit an insurer from implementing certain enrollment restrictions. SECTION 4. Amends Article 3.96-3, Insurance Code, by adding Subsection (c), to require an insurer to permit the enrollment of a child without regard to certain restrictions. SECTION 5. Amends Article 3.96-7(a), Insurance Code, to make conforming changes. SECTIONS 6-7. Redesignated from SECTIONS 2-3.