By Woolley H.B. No. 3089
76R5888 DLF-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to long-term care insurance provided for certain public
1-3 employees, retirees, and their family members.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 3, Insurance Code, is
1-6 amended by adding Article 3.50-2A to read as follows:
1-7 Art. 3.50-2A. TEXAS EMPLOYEES GROUP LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE
1-8 PROGRAM. (a) In this article:
1-9 (1) "Administering firm" means a firm designated by
1-10 the trustee to administer the group long-term care insurance
1-11 program under this article.
1-12 (2) "Employee" and "trustee" have the meanings
1-13 assigned by Section 3, Texas Employees Uniform Group Insurance
1-14 Benefits Act (Article 3.50-2, Vernon's Texas Insurance Code).
1-15 (b) The trustee shall establish a group long-term care
1-16 insurance program to provide long-term care insurance coverage for:
1-17 (1) an employee, including a retired employee;
1-18 (2) a spouse of an employee, including a retired
1-19 employee;
1-20 (3) a parent or grandparent of an employee, including
1-21 a retired employee; and
1-22 (4) the parent of a spouse of an employee, including a
1-23 retired employee.
1-24 (c) The trustee shall select an administering firm to
2-1 administer the program under contract to the trustee. The
2-2 administering firm shall bill each program participant directly for
2-3 premiums and any other program cost and the program participant is
2-4 responsible for the required payment. The premiums and program cost
2-5 may not be deducted from an employee's monthly compensation or a
2-6 retired employee's annuity.
2-7 (d) The group long-term care insurance program is not part
2-8 of the group coverages offered under the Texas Employees Uniform
2-9 Group Insurance Benefits Act (Article 3.50-2, Vernon's Texas
2-10 Insurance Code) and the state may not contribute any part of the
2-11 premiums for coverage offered under this article.
2-12 (e) The trustee may adopt rules as necessary to implement
2-13 this article, including rules specifying the coverage to be offered
2-14 under the group long-term insurance program.
2-15 SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 3, Insurance Code, is
2-16 amended by adding Article 3.50-4A to read as follows:
2-17 Art. 3.50-4A. TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES GROUP LONG-TERM
2-18 CARE INSURANCE PROGRAM. (a) In this article:
2-19 (1) "Administering firm" means a firm designated by
2-20 the trustee to administer the group long-term care insurance
2-21 program under this article.
2-22 (2) "Active employee," "retiree," "surviving spouse,"
2-23 and "trustee" have the meanings assigned by Section 2, Article
2-24 3.50-4, Insurance Code.
2-25 (b) The trustee shall establish a group long-term care
2-26 insurance program to provide long-term care insurance coverage for:
2-27 (1) an active employee or retiree;
3-1 (2) a spouse of an active employee or retiree,
3-2 including a surviving spouse;
3-3 (3) a parent or grandparent of an active employee or
3-4 retiree; and
3-5 (4) the parent of a spouse of an employee or retiree,
3-6 including the parent of a surviving spouse.
3-7 (c) The trustee shall select an administering firm to
3-8 administer the program under contract to the trustee. The
3-9 administering firm shall bill each program participant directly for
3-10 premiums and any other program cost and the program participant is
3-11 responsible for the required payment.
3-12 (d) The group long-term care insurance program is not part
3-13 of the group coverages offered under Article 3.50-4, Insurance
3-14 Code, and the state may not contribute any part of the premiums for
3-15 coverage offered under this article.
3-16 (e) The trustee may adopt rules as necessary to implement
3-17 this article, including rules specifying the coverage to be offered
3-18 under the group long-term insurance program.
3-19 SECTION 3. (a) The trustee of the Texas Employees Uniform
3-20 Group Insurance Benefits Program shall implement the group
3-21 long-term care insurance program required by Article 3.50-2A,
3-22 Insurance Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1,
3-23 2000. The trustee may consult with The Texas A&M University System
3-24 with respect to development and implementation of the program.
3-25 (b) The trustee of the Texas Public School Employees Group
3-26 Insurance Program shall implement the group long-term care
3-27 insurance program required by Article 3.50-4A, Insurance Code, as
4-1 added by this Act, not later than January 1, 2000. The trustee may
4-2 consult with The Texas A&M University System with respect to
4-3 development and implementation of the program.
4-4 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
4-5 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-6 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-7 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-8 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-9 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-10 passage, and it is so enacted.