By Kitchen                                             H.B. No. 835
         77R3444 JAT-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the study of a buy-in option for the state child health
 1-3     plan.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  (a)  In this section, "commission" means the
 1-6     Health and Human Services Commission.
 1-7           (b)  The commission shall conduct a study to determine the
 1-8     feasibility of a buy-in option to allow families without access to
 1-9     health benefits coverage to purchase health benefits coverage for
1-10     all family members under the state child health plan under Chapter
1-11     62, Health and Safety Code.
1-12           (c)  To determine the feasibility of the buy-in option, the
1-13     commission shall examine:
1-14                 (1)  the fiscal impact on the state of a buy-in option;
1-15                 (2)  the fiscal impact on families that would choose to
1-16     participate in the program through a buy-in option;
1-17                 (3)  the cost of a comparable health benefits plan in
1-18     the current market; and
1-19                 (4)  the need for a buy-in option, by determining:
1-20                       (A)  the number of families that would likely
1-21     choose to participate in the program through a buy-in option; and
1-22                       (B)  whether families that are not covered by a
1-23     health benefits plan and that would participate in the program
1-24     through a buy-in option could be covered in the private market.
 2-1           (d)  Not later than November 1, 2002, the commission shall
 2-2     submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the
 2-3     house of representatives a written report containing the findings
 2-4     of the study.
 2-5           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 2-6     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
 2-7     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
 2-8     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 2-9     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.