BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 301

79R4263 PB-D                                                                                                             By: Shapleigh

                                                                                                                                       State Affairs

                                                                                                                                            3/18/2005

                                                                                                                                              As Filed

 

 

AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Texas ranks 50th in the nation in the percentage of insured children and adults and 45th in the percentage of persons with employer-based health insurance.  Although the Health and Human Services Commission formerly collected data on uninsured Texans, it ceased to do so in 2003 and current law does not deem any state agency to be responsible for collecting data on the uninsured in Texas.  As proposed, S.B. 301 requires the Health and Human Services Commission to collect data on people that are uninsured in Texas, by county. 

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 (Section  531.452, Government Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 531, Government Code, by adding Subchapter M, as follows:

 

SUBCHAPTER M.  DATA COLLECTING AND REPORTING REGARDING

CERTAIN UNINSURED INDIVIDUALS

 

            Sec.  531.451.  DEFINITIONS.  Defines "eligible employee," "employee," "employer,"     "health benefit plan," "program," and "uninsured individual."

 

            Sec.  531.452.  DATA COLLECTION PROGRAM; RULES.  (a)  Requires the Health    and Human Services Commission (commission) to develop and maintain a program to   collect statistical data and other information regarding uninsured individuals in this state.

 

                        (b)  Requires the program to include certain demographic information.

                       

                        (c)  Requires the commission to adopt rules, including rules relating to certain                                 reports and data, necessary to implement this subchapter.

           

                        (d)  Authorizes the commission to obtain  necessary information from employers                            and health benefit plan issuers.

 

            Sec.  531.453.  COOPERATION WITH TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE      AND TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION.  (a)  Authorizes the commission to enter             into agreements with the Texas Department of Insurance and Texas Workforce         Commission (TWC) as necessary.

 

                        (b)  Requires, the commissioner of insurance and TWC, upon the request of the                              commission, to provide appropriate information to the commission to implement                            this subchapter.

 

            Sec.  531.454.  COMPILATION OF DATA; PUBLIC REPORT.  (a)  Requires the          commission to compile the data and information derived from the program on a     composite basis by county.

 

                        (b)  Requires the commission to prepare at least annually a written report                                        of composite data and information collected.

 

                        (c)  Requires the commission to make the report available to the public on the                                 commission's Internet website.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2005.