HBA-JLV H.B. 2132 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2132
By: Gray
Higher Education
4/8/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, students enrolled at health component institutions of higher
education (institution) are not required to have health benefit plan
coverage in effect upon enrollment at the institution.  Students enrolled
at such institutions could be exposed to greater health risks than other
student populations due to the direct patient contact in medical and dental
care facilities.  These students are usually older, not eligible for health
insurance coverage under their parents' policy, and are often uninsured.
Required health insurance coverage could help relieve the financial burden
imposed on uninsured students and institutions in the event of an
unexpected illness or accident.  House Bill 2132 authorizes a medical and
dental unit to require students at the institution to obtain health
insurance coverage upon enrollment. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 2132 amends the Education Code to authorize the governing board
(board) of a medical and dental unit to require a student enrolled at the
medical and dental unit to have in effect during each academic period of
enrollment health benefit plan coverage for health care services received
by the student. 

The bill requires the board to determine the minimum required coverage and
authorizes the board to adopt any rules considered necessary to accomplish
the purposes of the bill. 

A board that requires student health benefit plan coverage is authorized to
provisionally admit a student who does not have the required minimum
coverage to give the student an opportunity to obtain the required
coverage.  The bill prohibits the board from provisionally admitting a
student for more than one semester or summer session. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.