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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requiring a health benefit plan for enrollment at a |
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public institution of higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.952, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 51.952. STUDENT HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN REQUIRED FOR |
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ENROLLMENT [INSURANCE]. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Health benefit plan" means any health benefit |
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plan regulated under the Insurance Code, including: |
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(A) an individual or group health insurance |
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policy; or |
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(B) an evidence of coverage issued by a health |
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maintenance organization. |
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(2) "Institution of higher education" and "university |
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system" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code and |
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except as provided by Subsection (f), to enroll at an institution of |
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higher education for a semester or other academic term, a student |
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must submit to the institution proof acceptable to the institution |
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that the student will for that semester or term be covered by a |
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health benefit plan that meets minimum coverage standards and any |
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other requirement established by Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board rule. |
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(c) An institution of higher education may, directly or |
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through the university system, if any, of which the institution is a |
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component, provide to or sponsor for one or more of the |
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institution's students a health benefit plan for purposes of this |
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section. In addition to any other fee or charge authorized or |
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required by law, an institution that provides or sponsors a plan may |
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impose on a student enrolling in the plan a charge in an amount not |
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to exceed any cost to the institution, including administrative |
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costs, in sponsoring or providing the plan in relation to that |
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student. |
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(d) In satisfying the requirement of Subsection (b), a |
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student may select coverage under a health benefit plan provided or |
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sponsored by the institution of higher education at which the |
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student intends to enroll or may select coverage under a plan |
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provided by another entity. |
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(e) On written request of a student, the institution of |
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higher education at which the student intends to enroll shall |
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provide for financial aid purposes a reasonable estimate of the |
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cost of the health benefit plan coverage within the student's cost |
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of education. As part of financial aid provided to a student by the |
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institution, the institution may pay all or part of the student's |
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cost for the health benefit plan coverage required by this section. |
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(f) To provide a student with sufficient time to obtain |
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health benefit plan coverage, an institution of higher education |
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may provisionally enroll for not more than one semester or other |
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academic term a student who is not covered by a health benefit plan |
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in effect as required by this section. |
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(g) The coordinating board shall adopt rules the board |
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considers necessary to carry out this section. The rules must: |
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(1) establish minimum coverage standards and any other |
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requirement for a health benefit plan required under this section, |
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regardless of whether the plan is provided or sponsored by an |
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institution of higher education or by another entity; |
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(2) establish the time allowed and manner required for |
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a student to submit to an institution proof that the student will be |
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covered by a health benefit plan for the applicable semester or |
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other academic term; |
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(3) require each institution, in the time and manner |
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established by the rules, to: |
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(A) determine whether a student will for the |
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applicable semester or other academic term be covered by a health |
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benefit plan that meets minimum coverage standards and any other |
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requirement established by coordinating board rule; and |
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(B) notify the student of that determination; and |
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(4) establish standards for an institution to use in |
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determining whether proof of health benefit plan coverage |
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submitted by a student for purposes of Subsection (b) is |
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acceptable. [The governing board of a medical and dental unit may
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require a student enrolled at a medical and dental unit to have in
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effect during the calendar year of enrollment a health insurance
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policy for health care services received by the student.
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[(b) The governing board of a medical and dental unit shall
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determine the minimum coverage standards for health insurance
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required under this section.
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[(c) If the student agrees in writing, the medical and
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dental unit shall provide a reasonable estimate of the cost of the
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health insurance coverage within the student's cost of education
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for financial aid purposes.
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[(d) If a governing board of a medical and dental unit
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requires health insurance coverage for students under Subsection
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(a), a student may be provisionally enrolled at the medical and
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dental unit for one academic session without the coverage in order
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to allow the student time to obtain the coverage.
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[(e) The governing board of a medical and dental unit may
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adopt such other rules and regulations as it determines necessary
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to carry out the purposes of this section.
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[(f) In this section, "governing board" and "medical and
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dental unit" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003.] |
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SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply to |
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enrollment of students at public institutions of higher education |
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beginning with the 2008 fall semester. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |