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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 Medicare plans available through the individual marketplace to |
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provide health and pharmacy benefit coverage for certain retired |
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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 and pharmacy benefit coverage under Chapter 1575, Insurance |
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Code, for Medicare-eligible retired school employees and their |
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spouses. |
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(b) The evaluation must consider: |
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(1) using claims experience and premium data from the |
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most recent two years, the affordability and availability of |
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Medicare plans available through the individual marketplace to |
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Medicare-eligible retirees and their spouses compared to health |
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benefit plans available to those retirees and their spouses under |
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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 and pharmacy benefits to Medicare-eligible retirees |
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and their spouses considering the demographic, geographic, and |
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socioeconomic characteristics of the Medicare-eligible retirees |
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and spouses participating in the group program under Chapter 1575, |
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Insurance Code. |
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(c) In conducting the study under this section, the Teacher |
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Retirement System of Texas may contract or collaborate with |
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entities having industry-leading expertise and experience in the |
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individual marketplace. |
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SECTION 2. REPORT. (a) Not later than December 1, 2021, |
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the Teacher Retirement System of Texas shall submit to the |
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governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and Legislative Budget Board a written report of |
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the study conducted under Section 1 of this Act. The report must |
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include the findings and legislative recommendations of the Teacher |
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Retirement System of Texas. |
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(b) If the report finds that using health reimbursement |
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accounts in conjunction with Medicare plans available through the |
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individual marketplace could achieve cost savings for the state and |
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for Medicare-eligible retirees and their spouses participating in |
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the group program under Chapter 1575, Insurance Code, while |
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providing health and pharmacy benefit coverage substantially |
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equivalent to the coverage provided under the group program, the |
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Teacher Retirement System of Texas shall, to the extent possible, |
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begin implementing any recommendations from the report that the |
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system may implement without legislative action. |
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SECTION 3. EXPIRATION DATE. This Act expires January 1, |
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2023. |
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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, 2021. |