86R4852 LED-D
 
  By: Tinderholt H.B. No. 1440
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to health benefits coverage for certain elected officials.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 1551, Insurance Code, is
  amended by adding Section 1551.2075 to read as follows:
         Sec. 1551.2075.  HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN FOR CERTAIN ELECTED
  OFFICIALS. (a) In this section, "elected official" means a person
  who is eligible to participate in the group benefits program under
  Section 1551.101 or 1551.102 based on service performed as
  governor, lieutenant governor, or a member of the legislature.
         (b)  The board of trustees shall make available:
               (1)  for elected officials while in office, health
  benefit plans that are reasonably comparable to coverage plans of
  each tier of coverage offered under Chapter 1579; and
               (2)  subject to Subsection (d), for elected officials
  receiving or eligible to receive a service retirement annuity,
  health benefit plans that are reasonably comparable to a basic plan
  offered under Chapter 1575 and the Medicare Advantage and Medicare
  prescription drug plans offered under that chapter.
         (c)  Notwithstanding any other law, an elected official is
  not eligible to enroll in a health benefit plan offered under this
  chapter other than a health benefit plan offered under this section
  as provided by Subsection (b).
         (d)  An elected official who is eligible to enroll in
  Medicare is eligible to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan or a
  Medicare prescription drug plan under this section but is not
  eligible to enroll in another health benefit plan under this
  section.
         (e)  The board of trustees shall ensure an elected official
  is subject to comparable premiums, deductibles, copayments,
  coinsurance, and other out-of-pocket expenses as a person enrolled
  in a comparable health benefit plan offered under Chapter 1575 or
  1579, as applicable.
         SECTION 2.  Section 1551.2075, Insurance Code, as added by
  this Act, applies only to group coverage provided under Chapter
  1551, Insurance Code, for a plan year beginning on or after
  September 1, 2020. A plan year that begins before that date is
  governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective
  date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.