BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3985

By: Leach

Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been suggested that one of the barriers that entities participating in the Texas school employees uniform group health coverage program face when seeking alternative health care options that could be more beneficial or cost-effective is lack of access to their enrollees' health care data. H.B. 3985 seeks to help remedy this issue by requiring the Teacher Retirement System of Texas to provide any available historical claims data, enrollment information, or other relevant information in connection with a search for alternative health benefit plan coverage.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3985 amends the Insurance Code to require the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) to provide to an entity participating in the uniform group coverage program established under the Texas School Employees Uniform Group Health Coverage Act any historical claims data, enrollment information, or other relevant information available to TRS as requested by the entity in connection with a search for alternative health benefit plan coverage for the entity's employees and the employees' dependents. The bill requires the information to include, for each tier of group coverage and for the five-year period preceding the request date, the monthly claims experience history, plan enrollment, information concerning prescription drug claims and costs, and specified information concerning medical claims with a large total cost. The bill prohibits TRS from providing any personally identifying information of a covered individual and requires TRS to provide the information at no cost to the requesting entity.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2019.