HBA-TYH H.B. 1211 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1211
By: Averitt
Insurance
6/3/1999
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Health Insurance Portability and Availability Act (Chapter 26,
Insurance Code) regulates Texas' small and large employer insurance market.
Each small employer carrier must provide the small employer health benefit
plans without regard to health status related factors.  Each small employer
carrier is required to issue the plan chosen by the small employer to each
small employer that elects to be covered under that plan and agrees to
satisfy the other requirements of the plan.  H.B. 1211 clarifies language
with regard to small employer plans offered by health maintenance
organizations in Texas. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Article 26.48(a), Insurance Code, to authorize a health
maintenance organization to offer a state-approved health benefit plan that
complies with this chapter, the Texas Health Maintenance Organization Act
(Chapter 20A, Vernon's Texas Insurance Code), Title XIII, Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. Section 300e et seq.) (Requirements of Health
Maintenance Organizations), and its subsequent amendments, and rules
adopted under these laws, or to offer another specified plan or contract.
Deletes the specification that the authorization is not given to the small
employer health benefit plans described by this subchapter (Coverage Under
Small Employer Health Benefit Plans).  Makes conforming changes. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.