1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to health insurance provided through the Texas Health
1-3 Insurance Risk Pool.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 2(7), Article 3.77, Insurance Code, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 (7) "Health insurance" means individual or group
1-8 health insurance and includes any hospital and medical expense
1-9 incurred policy, a fraternal benefit society, a stipulated premium
1-10 company, an approved nonprofit health corporation, health
1-11 maintenance organization subscriber contract, coverage by a group
1-12 hospital service plan, a multiple employer welfare arrangement
1-13 subject to Subchapter I of this chapter, or any other health care
1-14 plan or arrangement that pays for or furnishes medical or health
1-15 care services whether by insurance or otherwise. The term does not
1-16 include short-term, accident, dental-only, vision-only, fixed
1-17 indemnity, including hospital indemnity insurance, credit
1-18 insurance, long-term care, disability income, or other limited
1-19 benefit insurance, including specified disease insurance, coverage
1-20 issued as a supplement to liability insurance, insurance arising
1-21 out of a workers' compensation or similar law, automobile
1-22 medical-payment insurance, or insurance under which benefits are
1-23 payable with or without regard to fault and which is statutorily
1-24 required to be contained in any liability insurance policy or
2-1 equivalent self-insurance.
2-2 SECTION 2. Article 3.77, Insurance Code, is amended by
2-3 adding Section 16 to read as follows:
2-4 Sec. 16. (a) An insurer may provide a notification to its
2-5 insureds regarding the creation of the Texas Health Insurance Risk
2-6 Pool and the address for information on cost, coverage,
2-7 eligibility, and other information where an insured can compare his
2-8 or her current health insurance with the benefits plan offered by
2-9 the pool. The insurer shall not incur any liability solely for
2-10 providing such notification.
2-11 (b) An insurer providing notice under Subsection (a) shall
2-12 provide such notice as prescribed by the commissioner. The
2-13 commissioner may promulgate rules to implement this section.
2-14 SECTION 3. Article 3.77, Insurance Code, as amended by this
2-15 Act, applies only to an insurance policy, contract, or evidence of
2-16 coverage delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after
2-17 January 1, 2000. A policy, contract, or evidence of coverage
2-18 delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed before January 1, 2000,
2-19 is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the
2-20 effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for
2-21 that purpose.
2-22 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-23 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
2-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-25 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-26 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-27 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1924 was passed by the House on April
30, 1999, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in
Senate amendments to H.B. No. 1924 on May 26, 1999, by a non-record
vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1924 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 21, 1999, by a viva-voce vote.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor