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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the enrollment of certain children and recipients of |
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medical assistance in group health benefit plans. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 1207.002, Insurance |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A group health benefit plan issuer shall permit an |
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individual who is otherwise eligible for enrollment in the plan to |
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enroll in the plan, without regard to any enrollment period |
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restriction, on receipt of written notice from the Health and Human |
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Services Commission [or a designee of the commission stating] that |
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the individual is: |
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(1) a recipient of medical assistance under the state |
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Medicaid program and is a participant in the health insurance |
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premium payment reimbursement program under Section 32.0422, Human |
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Resources Code; or |
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(2) a child eligible for [enrolled in] the state child |
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health plan under Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code, and eligible |
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to participate [is a participant] in the health insurance premium |
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assistance program under Section 62.059, Health and Safety Code. |
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SECTION 2. Section 1207.003, Insurance Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 1207.003. EFFECTIVE DATE OF ENROLLMENT. (a) Unless |
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enrollment occurs during an established enrollment period, |
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enrollment in a group health benefit plan under Section 1207.002 |
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takes effect on: |
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(1) the eligibility enrollment date specified in the |
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written notice from the Health and Human Services Commission under |
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Section 1207.002(a); or |
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(2) the first day of the first calendar month that |
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begins at least 30 days after the date written notice or a written |
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request is received by the plan issuer under Section 1207.002(a) or |
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(b), as applicable. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the individual must |
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comply with a waiting period required under the state child health |
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plan under Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code, or under the health |
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insurance premium assistance program under Section 62.059, Health |
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and Safety Code, as applicable. |
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SECTION 3. Subsection (b), Section 1207.004, Insurance |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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(b) Notwithstanding any other requirement of a group health |
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benefit plan, the plan issuer shall permit an individual who is |
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enrolled in the plan under Section 1207.002(a)(2), and any family |
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member of the individual enrolled under Section 1207.002(c), to |
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terminate enrollment in the plan not later than the 60th day after |
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the date on which the individual provides a written request to |
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disenroll from the plan because the individual [satisfactory proof
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to the issuer that the child is] no longer wishes to participate [a
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participant] in the health insurance premium assistance program |
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under Section 62.059, Health and Safety Code. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |
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