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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requiring general academic teaching institutions to |
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offer health benefit plans to students. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 51.952, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 51.952. STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE AT MEDICAL AND DENTAL |
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UNITS. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 51.9521 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 51.9521. STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE AT GENERAL ACADEMIC |
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TEACHING INSTITUTIONS. (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, group, or blanket health |
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insurance 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) "High deductible health plan" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 223, Internal Revenue Code of 1986. |
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(3) "General academic teaching institution" and |
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"university system" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(b) A general academic teaching institution shall offer or |
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sponsor, directly or through the university system, if any, of |
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which the institution is a component, one or more health benefit |
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plans for the students of the institution. At least one health |
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benefit plan offered under this section must be a high deductible |
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health plan. |
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(c) The institution shall provide each student the option |
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to: |
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(1) enroll in a health benefit plan offered under this |
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section at the time of the student's registration; and |
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(2) pay the premium or other charges for coverage |
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under the plan in the same payment that includes the student's |
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tuition and fees. |
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SECTION 3. Section 51.9521, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2010 fall semester. |
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SECTION 4. 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, 2009. |