BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 301
State Affairs
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.