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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 study |
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health care costs and the transparency of health care costs and |
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health benefits. |
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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, review, and report on |
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health care costs and the transparency of health care costs and |
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health benefits, as provided by Section 2 of this Act, and propose |
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reforms under that section to reduce health care costs and increase |
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transparency of health care costs and health benefits, including |
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health benefits or coverage provided under Chapters 1551, 1575, |
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1579, and 1601, Insurance Code. |
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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 CARE |
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COSTS AND TRANSPARENCY OF HEALTH CARE COSTS AND HEALTH BENEFITS. |
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(a) The joint interim committee created by Section 1 of this Act |
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shall study data and other information, including aggregate |
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reimbursement rates submitted to the Texas Department of Insurance |
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under Subchapter H, Chapter 38, Insurance Code, to examine and |
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analyze health care costs and the transparency of health care costs |
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and health benefits, including health benefits or coverage provided |
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under Chapters 1551, 1575, 1579, and 1601, Insurance Code. |
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(b) The joint interim committee shall propose reforms based |
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on the study required under Subsection (a) of this section to reduce |
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health care costs and increase the transparency of health care |
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costs and health benefits. |
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(c) The joint interim committee shall prepare a report of |
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the findings and proposed reforms that maintains confidentiality in |
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accordance with Section 38.356, Insurance Code. |
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SECTION 3. COMMITTEE FINDINGS AND PROPOSED REFORMS. (a) |
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Not later than January 15, 2019, the joint interim committee |
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created under Section 1 of this Act shall submit to the lieutenant |
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governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the |
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governor the report prepared under Section 2 of this Act. The joint |
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interim committee shall include in its report recommendations of |
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specific statutory and regulatory changes that appear necessary |
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from the committee's study under 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 in accordance with Section 1 of this Act. |
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SECTION 4. ABOLITION OF COMMITTEE. The joint interim |
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committee created under Section 1 of this Act is abolished and this |
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Act expires January 20, 2019. |
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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, 2017. |