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.