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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Commission for Affordable and Accessible Health |
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Benefit Plan Coverage. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. DEFINITION. In this Act, "commission" means the |
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Commission for Affordable and Accessible Health Benefit Plan |
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Coverage established under Section 2 of this Act. |
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SECTION 2. COMMISSION; COMPOSITION. (a) Not later than the |
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60th day after the effective date of this Act, the governor shall |
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appoint a Commission for Affordable and Accessible Health Benefit |
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Plan Coverage. The governor shall determine the size of the |
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commission. |
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(b) The commission must include at least one member selected |
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from a list of persons nominated by the speaker of the house of |
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representatives and at least one member selected from a list of |
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persons nominated by the lieutenant governor. |
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(c) The commission must include individuals with expertise |
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in areas related to health care and health benefit plan coverage and |
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may include representantives of: |
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(1) insurers, health maintenance organizations, or |
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other health benefit plan issuers; |
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(2) physicians, hospitals, or other health care |
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providers; |
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(3) providers of health care services under Medicaid, |
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the state child health plan, and other public health care programs, |
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including providers of indigent care under Chapter 61, Health and |
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Safety Code; and |
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(4) employers and businesses. |
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(d) The commission may include representatives of the Texas |
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Department of Insurance, the Health and Human Services Commission, |
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and other affected state agencies. |
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(e) The commission must include at least one representative |
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of consumers of health care and health benefit plan coverage. |
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SECTION 3. CHAIRPERSON. The governor shall designate a |
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member of the commission to serve as chairperson of the commission. |
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SECTION 4. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. The Texas Department of |
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Insurance shall provide administrative support services to the |
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commission. |
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SECTION 5. COMPENSATION; REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES. A |
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member of the commission serves without compensation but is |
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entitled to reimbursement for actual expenses incurred in the |
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performance of official commission duties from funds appropriated |
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to the Texas Department of Insurance. |
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SECTION 6. STUDY. (a) The commission shall study |
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alternative methods, including innovative programs implemented or |
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under consideration in other states, to make health benefit plan |
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coverage affordable for, and accessible to, as many residents of |
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this state as is practicable. |
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(b) As part of the study conducted by the commission, the |
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commission may conduct hearings in locations throughout the state |
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to gather information. |
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SECTION 7. REPORT; RECOMMENDATION; PROPOSED LEGISLATION. |
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(a) The commission shall prepare a report identifying alternative |
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methods to increase the affordability and accessibility of health |
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benefit plan coverage in this state. |
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(b) The report must include the commission's recommendation |
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concerning: |
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(1) a program or system to make coverage affordable |
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for, and accessible to, as many residents of this state as is |
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practicable; and |
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(2) whether the program or system should specify: |
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(A) the minimum benefits that are to be provided |
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under the coverage; and |
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(B) the types and amounts of cost-sharing |
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provisions, such as deductibles and copayments, that should be |
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included in the coverage. |
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(c) The report may include alternative proposals and |
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proposed pilot projects. |
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(d) The commission's report must include proposals for any |
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legislation necessary to implement the commission's |
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recommendations. |
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(e) Not later than September 1, 2008, the commission shall |
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submit the report to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker |
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of the house of represenatives. |
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SECTION 8. COMMISSION ABOLISHED; EXPIRATION OF ACT. The |
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commission is abolished and this Act expires June 1, 2009. |
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SECTION 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |