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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the provision of workers' compensation insurance and |
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group accident and health insurance together in a packaged plan. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle E, Title 10, Insurance Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 2056 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 2056. PACKAGED PLAN OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION AND ACCIDENT |
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AND HEALTH INSURANCE |
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Sec. 2056.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Packaged plan" means a plan offering a workers' |
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compensation insurance policy together with a group accident and |
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health insurance policy as described in Section 2056.002. |
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(2) "Workers' compensation insurance company" means a |
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stock company, mutual insurance company, reciprocal or |
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interinsurance exchange, or Lloyd's plan authorized to engage in |
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the business of workers' compensation insurance in this state. |
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Sec. 2056.002. CONTRACT WITH ACCIDENT AND HEALTH INSURANCE |
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COMPANY TO PROVIDE PACKAGED PLAN. (a) A workers' compensation |
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insurance company may contract with an accident and health |
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insurance company to offer to employers a workers' compensation |
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insurance policy and a group accident and health insurance policy |
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together in one packaged plan under which employees and their |
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dependents are eligible for major medical expense coverage and |
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employees are covered by workers' compensation insurance. |
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(b) Nothing in this chapter authorizes a workers' |
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compensation insurance company to underwrite group accident and |
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health insurance policies. |
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(c) A group accident and health insurance policy offered as |
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part of a packaged plan must be provided by an entity that is |
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authorized to write group accident and health insurance and is |
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separate from the workers' compensation insurance company. |
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(d) To the extent employees contribute to the premiums for |
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group accident and health coverage provided under a packaged plan |
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offered under this section, those contributions must exclude any |
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portion of the premiums allocated to the provision of workers' |
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compensation insurance. |
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(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, an |
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accident and health insurance company or workers' compensation |
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insurance company that contracts to provide a packaged plan under |
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this chapter is subject to the requirements imposed on an insurance |
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company under this code for the company's respective lines of |
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insurance, including the payment of premium and maintenance taxes, |
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maintenance of reserves, and membership in a guaranty association. |
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Sec. 2056.003. RULES. The commissioner shall adopt rules |
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as necessary to implement this chapter. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 2056, Insurance Code, as added by this |
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Act, applies only to a workers' compensation insurance policy and a |
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group accident and health insurance policy delivered, issued for |
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delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |