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