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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a joint interim committee to undertake a |
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study of health benefit plans administered by the Teacher |
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Retirement System of Texas. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. CREATION OF JOINT INTERIM COMMITTEE. (a) A |
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joint interim committee is created to study and review the health |
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benefit plans, including TRS-Care and TRS-ActiveCare, operated |
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under Chapters 1575 and 1579, Insurance Code, and propose reforms |
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to address issues described by Section 2 of this Act. |
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(b) The joint interim committee shall be composed of three |
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senators appointed by the lieutenant governor and three members of |
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the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house |
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of representatives. |
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(c) The lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of |
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representatives shall each designate a co-chair from among the |
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joint interim committee members. |
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(d) The joint interim committee shall convene at the joint |
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call of the co-chairs. |
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(e) The joint interim committee has all other powers and |
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duties provided to a special or select committee by the rules of the |
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senate and house of representatives, by Subchapter B, Chapter 301, |
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Government Code, and by policies of the senate and house committees |
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on administration. |
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SECTION 2. INTERIM STUDY REGARDING CERTAIN HEALTH BENEFIT |
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PLANS. The joint interim committee created by Section 1 of this Act |
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shall study the health benefit plans, including TRS-Care and |
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TRS-ActiveCare, operated under Chapters 1575 and 1579, Insurance |
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Code, to examine and assess the following issues: |
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(1) the financial soundness of the plans; |
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(2) the cost and affordability of plan coverage to |
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persons eligible for coverage under the plans; and |
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(3) the sufficiency of access to physicians and health |
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care providers under the plans. |
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SECTION 3. COMMITTEE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. |
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(a) Not later than January 15, 2017, the joint interim committee |
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shall report the committee's findings and recommendations to the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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and the governor. The joint interim committee shall include in its |
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recommendations specific statutory and regulatory changes that |
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appear necessary from the results of the committee's study under |
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Section 2 of this Act. |
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(b) Not later than the 60th day after the effective date of |
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this Act, the lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of |
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representatives shall appoint the members of the joint interim |
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committee created under Section 1 of this Act in accordance with |
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that section. |
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SECTION 4. ABOLITION OF COMMITTEE. The joint interim |
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committee created by this Act is abolished and this Act expires |
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January 20, 2017. |
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SECTION 5. 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, 2015. |