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