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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas |
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regarding the use of health reimbursement accounts in conjunction |
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with certain Medicare plans to provide health benefit coverage for |
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certain retired school employees. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. STUDY. (a) The Teacher Retirement System of |
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Texas shall conduct a study to evaluate the use of health |
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reimbursement accounts in conjunction with Medicare plans |
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available through the individual marketplace as a means to provide |
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health benefit coverage under Chapter 1575, Insurance Code, for |
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Medicare-eligible retired school employees and their spouses. |
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(b) The evaluation must consider: |
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(1) the affordability and availability of Medicare |
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plans available through the individual marketplace to |
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Medicare-eligible retirees and their spouses in the 2018-2019 |
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biennium compared to health benefit plans available to those |
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retirees and their spouses under Chapter 1575, Insurance Code; |
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(2) provider availability under Medicare plans |
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available through the individual marketplace; and |
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(3) any other items the Teacher Retirement System of |
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Texas determines are relevant to the system's long-term ability to |
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provide health benefits to Medicare-eligible retirees and their |
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spouses considering the demographic, geographic, and socioeconomic |
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characteristics of the Medicare-eligible retirees and spouses |
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participating in the group program under Chapter 1575, Insurance |
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Code. |
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SECTION 2. REPORT. Not later than January 1, 2020, the |
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Teacher Retirement System of Texas shall submit to the governor, |
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lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and |
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Legislative Budget Board a written report of the study conducted |
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under Section 1 of this Act. The report must include the findings |
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and legislative recommendations of the Teacher Retirement System of |
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Texas. |
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SECTION 3. EXPIRATION DATE. This Act expires January 1, |
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2021. |
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SECTION 4. 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, 2019. |